Recombinant hepatitis E virus genomes infectious for primates: importance of capping and discovery of a cis-reactive element.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis E virus recombinant genomes transcribed in vitro from two cDNA clones differing by two nucleotides were infectious for chimpanzees. However, one cDNA clone encoded a virus that was attenuated for chimpanzees and unable to infect rhesus monkeys. The second cDNA clone encoded a virus that infected both chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys and caused acute hepatitis in both. One mutation differentiating the two clones identified a cis-reactive element that appeared to overlap the 3' end of the capsid gene and part of the 3' noncoding region. Capping of the RNA transcripts was essential for infectivity.

SUBMITTER: Emerson SU 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC65019 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature