title: [Hepatitis C virus].
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a small enveloped virus whose genome is a RNA molecule encoding a polyprotein that is processed by cellular and viral proteases to produce the 3 structural proteins (the core protein C and the 2 envelope proteins E1 and E2) and the 6 nonstructural proteins (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B). The HCV genome exhibits a significant genetic heterogeneity. HCV isolates can be divided into genetically distinct groups referred to as genotypes, whereas the population of HCV genomes, within an infected individual, is present as a group of heterogeneous but closely related sequences referred to as quasi-species. Studies of the molecular biology of HCV and of new vaccinal or therapeutic strategies are hampered by the lack of easy to use cellular culture systems and of animal models.
authors.affiliation: INSERM unité 271 151, Lyon.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Querenghi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zoulim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014776:Virus Cultivation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins