We have investigated the ability of different subgenomic fragments to reproduce the phylogenetic relationships observed between six complete genome sequences of GBV-C/hepatitis G virus (HGV). While similar relationships were observed following analysis of part of the 5′ non-coding region (5′NCR), for the coding region they were not accurately reproduced for some large fragments or for the majority of fragments of 300 or 600 nucleotides. Analysis of 5′NCR sequences from a large number of isolates, including newly obtained sequences from Pakistan, Zaire and Scotland, pro duced separate groupings of Asian, African and European/North American variants. These groupings are associated with specific polymorphisms in the 5′NCR, many of which were covariant and consistent with a proposed secondary structure for this region. The relatively low level of amino acid sequence variation observed between these geographically and phylogenetically defined groups of variants suggests that they are unlikely to display significant biological differences.
BergT.,
DirlaU.,
NaumannU.,
HeuftH. G.,
KutherS.,
LobeckH.,
SchreierE.,
HopfU.1996; Responsiveness to interferon alpha treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C coinfected with hepatitis G virus. Journal of Hepatology 25:763–768
ErkerJ. C.,
SimonsJ. N.,
MuerhoffA. S.,
LearyT. P.,
ChalmersM. L.,
DesaiS. M.,
MushahwarI. K.1996; Molecular cloning and characterization of a GB virus C isolate from a patient with non-A-E hepatitis. Journal of General Virology 77:2713–2720
FukushiS.,
KuriharaC.,
IshiyamaN.,
OkamuraH.,
HoshinoF. B.,
OyaA.,
KatayamaK.1996; Nucleotide sequence of the 5ʹ noncoding region of hepatitis G virus isolated from Japanese patients: comparison with reported isolates. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 226:314–318
HeringlakeS.,
OsterkampS.,
TrautweinC.,
TillmannH. L.,
BokerK.,
MuerhoffS.,
MushahwarI. K.,
HunsmannG.,
MannsM. P.1996; Association between fulminant hepatic failure and a strain of GBV virus C. Lancet 348:1626–1629
JarvisL. M.,
WatsonH. G.,
McOmishF.,
PeuthererJ. F.,
LudlamC. A.,
SimmondsP.1994; Frequent reinfection and reactivation of hepatitis C virus genotypes in multitransfused hemophiliacs. Journal of Infectious Diseases 170:1018–1022
JarvisL. M.,
DavidsonF.,
HanleyJ. P.,
YapP. L.,
LudlamC. A.,
SimmondsP.1996; Infection with hepatitis G virus among recipients of plasma products. Lancet 348:1352–1355
KaoJ. H.,
ChenP. J.,
HsiangS. C.,
ChenW.,
ChenD. S.1996; Phylogenetic analysis of GB virus C: comparison of isolates from Africa, North America, and Taiwan. Journal of Infectious Diseases 174:410–413
McOmishF.,
YapP. L.,
DowB. C.,
FollettE. A. C.,
SeedC.,
KellerA. J.,
CobainT. J.,
KrusiusT.,
KolhoE.,
NaukkarinenR.,
LinC.,
LaiC.,
LeongS.,
MedgyesiG. A.,
HejjasM.,
KiyokawaH.,
FukadaK.,
CuypersT.,
SaeedA. A.,
AlrasheedA. M.,
LinM.,
SimmondsP.1994; Geographical distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in blood donors - an international collaborative survey. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 32:884–892
MasukoK.,
MitsuiT.,
IwanoK.,
YamazakiC.,
OkudaK.,
MeguroT.,
MurayamaN.,
InoueT.,
TsudaF.,
OkamotoH.,
MiyakawaY.,
MayumiM.1996; Infection with hepatitis GB virus C in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. New England Journal of Medicine 334:1485–1490
MoavenL. D.,
HylandC. A.,
YoungI. F.,
BowdenD. S.,
McCawR.,
MisonL.,
LocarniniS. A.1996; Prevalence of hepatitis G virus in Queensland blood donors. Medical Journal of Australia 165:369–371
MuerhoffA. S.,
SimonsJ. N.,
LearyT. P.,
ErkerJ. C.,
ChalmersM. L.,
Pilot-MatiasT. J.,
DawsonG. J.,
DesaiS. M.,
MushahwarI. K.1996; Sequence heterogeneity within the 5ʹ-terminal region of the hepatitis GB virus C genome and evidence for genotypes. Journal of Hepatology 25:379–384
OhbaK.,
MizokamiM.,
OhnoT.,
SuzukiK.,
OritoE.,
InaY.,
LauJ. Y. N.,
GojoboriT.1995; Classification of hepatitis C virus into major types and subtypes based on molecular evolutionary analysis. Virus Research 36:201–214
PickeringJ. M.,
ThomasH. C.,
KarayiannisP.1997; Genetic diversity between hepatitis G virus isolates: analysis of nucleotide variation in the NS-3 and putative ‘core’ peptide genes. Journal of General Virology 78:53–60
SchreierE.,
HohneM.,
KunkelU.,
BergT.,
HopfU.1996; Hepatitis GBV-C sequences in patients infected with HCV contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin and among iv drug users in Germany. Journal of Hepatology 25:385–389
ShaoL.,
ShinzawaH.,
IshikawaK.,
ZhangX. H.,
IshibashiM.,
MisawaH.,
YamadaN.,
TogashiH.,
TakahashiT.1996; Sequence of hepatitis G virus genome isolated from a Japanese patient with non- A-E-hepatitis: amplification and cloning by long reverse trans- cription-PCR. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 228:785–791
SimmondsP.,
HolmesE. C.,
ChaT. A.,
ChanS.-W.,
McOmishF.,
IrvineB.,
BeallE.,
YapP. L.,
KolbergJ.,
UrdeaM. S.1993a; Classification of hepatitis C virus into six major genotypes and a series of subtypes by phylogenetic analysis of the NS-5 region. Journal of General Virology 74:2391–2399
SimmondsP.,
McOmishF.,
YapP. L.,
ChanS. W.,
LinC. K.,
DusheikoG.,
SaeedA. A.,
HolmesE. C.1993b; Sequence variability in the 5ʹ non coding region of hepatitis C virus: identification of a new virus type and restrictions on sequence diversity. Journal of General Virology 74:661–668
SimmondsP.,
SmithD. B.,
McOmishF.,
YapP. L.,
KolbergJ.,
UrdeaM. S.,
HolmesE. C.1994; Identification of genotypes of hepatitis C virus by sequence comparisons in the core, E1 and NS-5 regions. Journal of General Virology 75:1053–1061
SimmondsP.,
MellorJ.,
HolmesE. C.,
TamprasertS.,
Sakuldam-rongpanichT.,
NuchaprayoonC.,
SmithD. B.1996; Evolutionary analysis of variants of hepatitis C virus found in South-East Asia : comparison with classifications based upon sequence similarity. Journal of General Virology 77:3013–3024
SimonsJ. N.,
DesaiS. M.,
SchultzD. E.,
LemonS. M.,
MushahwarI. K.1996; Translation initiation in GB viruses A and C: evidence for internal ribosome entry and implications for genome organization. Journal of Virology 70:6126–6135
SmithD. B.,
MellorJ.,
JarvisL. M.,
DavidsonF.,
KolbergJ.,
UrdeaM.,
YapP. L.,
SimmondsP.The International HCV Collaborative Study Group1995; Variation of the hepatitis C virus 5ʹ non-coding region: implications for secondary structure, virus detection and typing. Journal of General Virology761749–1761
SmithD. B.,
PathiranaS.,
DavidsonF.,
LawlorE.,
PowerJ.,
YapP. L.,
SimmondsP.1997; The origin of hepatitis C virus genotypes. Journal of General Virology 78:321–328
StarkK.,
BienzleU.,
HessG.,
EngelA. M.,
HegenscheidB.,
SchluterW.1996; Detection of the hepatitis G virus genome among injecting drug users, homosexual and bisexual men, and blood donors. Journal of Infectious Diseases 174:1320–1323
StuyverL.,
RossauR.,
WyseurA.,
DuhamelM.,
VanderborghtB.,
Van HeuverswynH.,
MaertensG.1993; Typing of hepatitis C virus isolates and characterization of new subtypes using a line probe assay. Journal of General Virology 74:1093–1102
TsudaF.,
HadiwandowoS.,
SawadaN.,
FukudaM.,
TanakaT.,
OkamotoH.,
MiyakawaY.,
MayumiM.1996; Infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) in patients with chronic liver disease or on maintenance hemodialysis in Indonesia. Journal of Medical Virology 49:248–252
ViazovS.,
RiffelmannM.,
KhoudyakovY.,
FieldsH.,
VarenholzC.,
RoggendorfM.1997; Genetic heterogeneity of hepatitis G virus isolates from different parts of the world. Journal of General Virology 78:577–581