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Evidence of recombination in quasispecies populations of a Hepatitis C Virus patient undergoing anti-viral therapy.
- Source :
-
Virology journal [Virol J] 2006 Oct 24; Vol. 3, pp. 87. Date of Electronic Publication: 2006 Oct 24. - Publication Year :
- 2006
-
Abstract
- Background/aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been the subject of intense research and clinical investigation as its major role in human disease has emerged. HCV circulates in vivo as a complex population of different but closely related viral variants, commonly referred to as a quasispecies. The extent to which recombination plays a role in the evolution of HCV quasispecies when patients are undergoing anti-viral therapy is currently unknown. In order to gain insight into these matters, we have performed a phylogenetic analysis of HCV quasispecies populations from six patients undergoing anti-viral therapy.<br />Methods: Putative recombinant sequences were identified with the use of SimPlot program. Recombination events were confirmed by bootscaning, using putative recombinant sequence as a query. Statistical support for the presence of a recombination event was done by the use of LARD program.<br />Results: A crossing-over event in the NS5A gene in a HCV strain recovered after four weeks of treatment was identified in quasispecies from a patient with sustained response. Putative parental-like strains were identified as strains circulating in previous weeks on the same patient.<br />Conclusion: Only one recombinant strain was detected in all patient quasispecies populations studied. The recombination break-point is situated on the PKR-binding region of NS5A. Although recombination may not appeared to be extensive in NS5A genes of HCV quasispecies populations of patients undergoing antiviral therapy, this possibility should be taken into account as a mechanism of genetic variation for HCV.
- Subjects :
- Amino Acid Sequence
Drug Therapy, Combination
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic Variation
Hepacivirus classification
Hepatitis C virology
Humans
Interferon alpha-2
Phylogeny
Recombinant Proteins
Sequence Alignment
Viral Nonstructural Proteins chemistry
Antiviral Agents therapeutic use
Hepacivirus genetics
Hepatitis C drug therapy
Interferon-alpha therapeutic use
Recombination, Genetic
Ribavirin therapeutic use
Viral Nonstructural Proteins genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1743-422X
- Volume :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Virology journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17062150
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-422X-3-87