Full-length characterization of hepatitis C virus subtype 3a reveals novel hypervariable regions under positive selection during acute infection.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus subtype 3a is a highly prevalent and globally distributed strain that is often associated with infection via injection drug use. This subtype exhibits particular phenotypic characteristics. In spite of this, detailed genetic analysis of this subtype has rarely been performed. We performed full-length viral sequence analysis in 18 patients with chronic HCV subtype 3a infection and assessed genomic viral variability in comparison to other HCV subtypes. Two novel regions of intragenotypic hypervariability within the envelope protein E2, of HCV genotype 3a, were identified. We named these regions HVR495 and HVR575. They consisted of flanking conserved hydrophobic amino acids and central variable residues. A 5-amino-acid insertion found only in genotype 3a and a putative glyco

SUBMITTER: Humphreys I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2772701 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature