Genotyping hepatitis C virus by heteroduplex mobility analysis using temperature gradient capillary electrophoresis.

ABSTRACT: The genotype of the infecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) helps determine the patient's prognosis and the duration of treatment. Heteroduplex mobility analysis (HMA) is a rapid, inexpensive method for genotyping of HCV that does not require sequencing. We developed an HMA that uses temperature gradient capillary electrophoresis (TGCE) to differentiate HCV genotypes. A 56-bp region of the HCV 5' untranslated region (UTR) that was conserved within a genotype yet whose sequence differed between genotypes was amplified for HMA-TGCE analysis. HCV amplicons of types 1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 4, and 6a were hybridized in pairs and analyzed by TGCE. Amplicons hybridized to the same subtype yielded one homoduplex peak, while hybridization of different subtypes resulted in heteroduplexes and generated multiple TGC

SUBMITTER: Margraf RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC522379 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature