Abstract: Two new isolates of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), J1 and J7, are disclosed. These new isolates comprise nucleotide and amino acid sequences which are distinct from the prototype HCV isolate, HCV1. Thus, J1 and J7 provide new polynucleotides and polypeptides for use, inter alia, in diagnostics, recombinant protein production and vaccine development.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 3, 1994
Date of Patent:
January 5, 1999
Assignees:
Chiron Corporation, The Director General of the National Institute of Health of Japan
Inventors:
Tatsuo Miyamura, Izumi Saito, Michael Houghton, Amy J. Weiner, Jang Han, Janice A. Kolberg, Tai-An Cha, Bruce D. Irvine
Abstract: The hypervariable region (E2HV) of the putative hepatitis C virus (HCV) glycoprotein E2/NS1, between about amino acid 384 to about amino acid 414, is a rapidly evolving region of HCV, and is likely to be under positive immune selection. A newly discovered motif within this hypervariable region is immunogenic and conserved with respect to the character of the amino acids. In many isolates, this motif falls between amino acids 401 to 406 or 407. The discovery of this motif allows for additional materials and methods to treat and diagnose HCV.
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