title: Molecular characterization of hepatitis C virus genotype 2a from the entire sequences of four isolates.
abstract: Genotype 2a hepatitis C virus (HCV) has different characteristics from genotype 1b, such as responsiveness to interferon therapy. Such type-specific characteristics appear to be due to differences in the HCV genome sequence. The complete sequences of genotype 2a HCV genome isolated from four patients with chronic hepatitis C were determined, and nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were compared within genotype 2a, as well as between genotype 2a and 1b. Whereas the amino acid sequence similarity of the core region was highest within genotype 1b, the NS3 and NS4B regions of exhibited greater similarity than the core region in genotype 2a. The serine protease and helicase motifs in the NS3 region were well conserved in genotype 2a to the same degree as in genotype 1b. However, the putative secondary structure of 2a isolates was significantly different from that of the 1b isolates. Analysis of amino acid similarity between genotypes 2a and 1b revealed the lowest degree of similarity in the E1 region, followed by the NS2 and NS5A region. Sequences of genotype 2a in the interferon-sensitivity determining region (ISDR) located in the NS5A region had a deletion of four amino acids compared with that of genotype 1b. When the ISDR of the genotype 2a was aligned for maximal similarity, it exhibited similarity of only 52.5-55.0% when compared with that of HCV-J, which belongs to genotype 1b. These findings for the entire sequences of genotype 2a isolates will contribute to virological studies of HCV.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishiyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukushi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miura
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013045:Species Specificity; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus