RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Haqshenas, G. A1 Dong, X. A1 Netter, H. A1 Torresi, J. A1 Gowans, E. J.YR 2007 T1 A chimeric GB virus B encoding the hepatitis C virus hypervariable region 1 is infectious in vivo JF Journal of General Virology, VO 88 IS 3 SP 895 OP 902 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.82467-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB Two GB virus B (GBV-B) chimeric genomes, GBV-HVR and GBV-HVRh (with a hinge), containing the coding region of the immunodominant hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of the E2 envelope protein of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) were constructed. Immunoblot analysis confirmed that HVR1 was anchored to the GBV-B E2 protein. To investigate the replication competence and in vivo stability of in vitro-generated chimeric RNA transcripts, two naïve marmosets were inoculated intrahepatically with the transcripts. The GBV-HVR chimeric genome was detectable for 2 weeks post-inoculation (p.i.), whereas GBV-HVRh reverted to wild type 1 week p.i. Sequencing analysis of the HVR1 and flanking regions from GBV-HVR RNA isolated from marmoset serum demonstrated that the HVR1 insert remained unaltered in the GBV-HVR chimera for 2 weeks. Inoculation of a naïve marmoset with serum collected at 1 week p.i. also resulted in viraemia and confirmed that the serum contained infectious particles. All animals cleared the infection by 3 weeks p.i. and remained negative for the remaining weeks. The chimera may prove useful for the in vivo examination of any HCV HVR1-based vaccine candidates., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.82467-0