Natural non-homologous recombination led to the emergence of a duplicated V3-NS5A region in HCV-1b strains associated with hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The emergence of new strains in RNA viruses is mainly due to mutations or intra and inter-genotype homologous recombination. Non-homologous recombinations may be deleterious and are rarely detected. In previous studies, we identified HCV-1b strains bearing two tandemly repeated V3 regions in the NS5A gene without ORF disruption. This polymorphism may be associated with an unfavorable course of liver disease and possibly involved in liver carcinogenesis. Here we aimed at characterizing the origin of these mutant strains and identifying the evolutionary mechanism on which the V3 duplication relies.

Methods

Direct sequencing of the entire NS5A and E1 genes was performed on 27 mutant strains. Quasispecies analyses in consecutive samples were also performed by cloning

SUBMITTER: Le Guillou-Guillemette H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5386276 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature