title: [Molecular cloning and sequencing of 5' non-coding region of TTV-like mini virus].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the TTV- like mini virus (TLMV) infection in Chinese patients with non A-G hepatitis and to analyse sequence of 5' non-coding region (5'NCR)of TLMV.
  
  
  METHODS
  TLMV DNA was detected by nested - PCR from 53 serum samples of non A-G hepatitis patients without TTV infection. PCR products were cloned and sequenced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TLMV DNA were positive in 37 of 53 patients (69.8%). The sequence of 5' NCR of 8 TLMV isolates was compared with that reported by Takahashi (GenBank Accession No. ab 026930-026931) and showed nucleotide identity between 64% - 83%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicated that TLMV infection is common in TTV negative patients with non A-G hepatitis. The 5' NCR sequence of TLMV showed a great degree of diversity. The pathogenicity of TLMV and its relationship to non A-G hepatitis need to be confirmed and further study is required.
authors.affiliation: Shenzhen Institute of Hepatology, Shenzhen 518020, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral