Gene variation of 5'-NCR and core region in serum samples collected from patients with HCV infection.
OBJECTIVE
To study the variation of HCV 5'-NCR and core gene in serial sera collected from patients with HCV infection.


METHODS
Serial sera were collected from 4 plasma-donors with HCV infection. 5'-NCR and core gene were amplified, sequenced and analyzed using software.


RESULTS
All the sequences obtained from the serial sera of patients with HCV infection were 1b and 2a subtypes. The variation of 5'-NCR only related to the genotype, and not associated with patients and time of serum collection. However, the sequences of core gene were not identical in HCV strains isolated from different patients. The sequences of those two regions of the same genotype isolated from the same patient did not change with time.


CONCLUSIONS
5'-NCR is more conserved than the core region and the genotype is the major cause of gene variation. No change in sequences of those two regions is found at the different points of time.
Zhang
S
S
National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products, Beijing 100050, China.
Zhuang
H
H
Li
H
H
Widell
A
A
Qi
Z
Z
Zhang
H
H
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus