title: Genotype C of hepatitis B virus can be classified into at least two subgroups.
abstract: A genomic characterization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was done for 56 pre-S1/pre-S2 genes and 10 full-length HBV genotype C isolates from five Asian countries. Phylogenetic analysis of the pre-S1/pre-S2 genes revealed two major groups within genotype C: one for isolates from southeast Asia including Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand (named HBV/C1) and the other for isolates from Far East Asia including Japan, Korea and China (named HBV/C2). This finding was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis based on the full-length sequence of 32 HBV genotype C isolates, including 22 from database entries. Two isolates from Okinawa, the island off the southern end of Japan, formed a different branch. Specific amino acid sequence changes were identified in the large S protein (amino acids 51, 54, 60, 62 and 73) and P protein (amino acids 231, 233, 236, 248, 252 and 304). Our results indicate that genotype C of HBV can be classified into at least two subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroentero-Hepatology, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.|Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Tran Thien-Tuan
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Huy
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ushijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroentero-Hepatology, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Vo Xuan
authors.initials: VX
authors.lastname: Quang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Yangon General Hospital, Yangon, Myanmar.
authors.forename: Khin Maung
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Win
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Mahidol University Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pairoj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Luengrojanakul
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Section, Okinawa Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsutaro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D015684:Gene Products, pol / Q000235:genetics; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015684:Gene Products, pol; C066027:P protein, Hepatitis B virus; C118669:S envelope protein, hepatitis B virus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins