Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/Aim</p> <p>Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been the subject of intense research and clinical investigation as its major role in human disease has emerged. Although homologous recombination has been demonstrated in many members of the family <...

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Main Authors: Colina Rodney, Cristina Juan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2006-06-01
Series:Virology Journal
Online Access:http://www.virologyj.com/content/3/1/53
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author Colina Rodney
Cristina Juan
author_facet Colina Rodney
Cristina Juan
author_sort Colina Rodney
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/Aim</p> <p>Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been the subject of intense research and clinical investigation as its major role in human disease has emerged. Although homologous recombination has been demonstrated in many members of the family <it>Flaviviridae</it>, to which HCV belongs, there have been few studies reporting recombination on natural populations of HCV. Recombination break-points have been identified in non structural proteins of the HCV genome. Given the implications that recombination has for RNA virus evolution, it is clearly important to determine the extent to which recombination plays a role in HCV evolution. In order to gain insight into these matters, we have performed a phylogenetic analysis of 89 full-length HCV strains from all types and sub-types, isolated all over the world, in order to detect possible recombination events.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Putative recombinant sequences were identified with the use of SimPlot program. Recombination events were confirmed by bootscaning, using putative recombinant sequence as a query.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two crossing over events were identified in the E1/E2 structural region of an intra-typic (1a/1c) recombinant strain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Only one of 89 full-length strains studied resulted to be a recombinant HCV strain, revealing that homologous recombination does not play an extensive roll in HCV evolution. Nevertheless, this mechanism can not be denied as a source for generating genetic diversity in natural populations of HCV, since a new intra-typic recombinant strain was found. Moreover, the recombination break-points were found in the structural region of the HCV genome.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-94fb5da6a678462a85d631cfdcc0344b2022-12-22T02:01:00ZengBMCVirology Journal1743-422X2006-06-01315310.1186/1743-422X-3-53Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virusColina RodneyCristina Juan<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/Aim</p> <p>Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been the subject of intense research and clinical investigation as its major role in human disease has emerged. Although homologous recombination has been demonstrated in many members of the family <it>Flaviviridae</it>, to which HCV belongs, there have been few studies reporting recombination on natural populations of HCV. Recombination break-points have been identified in non structural proteins of the HCV genome. Given the implications that recombination has for RNA virus evolution, it is clearly important to determine the extent to which recombination plays a role in HCV evolution. In order to gain insight into these matters, we have performed a phylogenetic analysis of 89 full-length HCV strains from all types and sub-types, isolated all over the world, in order to detect possible recombination events.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Putative recombinant sequences were identified with the use of SimPlot program. Recombination events were confirmed by bootscaning, using putative recombinant sequence as a query.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two crossing over events were identified in the E1/E2 structural region of an intra-typic (1a/1c) recombinant strain.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Only one of 89 full-length strains studied resulted to be a recombinant HCV strain, revealing that homologous recombination does not play an extensive roll in HCV evolution. Nevertheless, this mechanism can not be denied as a source for generating genetic diversity in natural populations of HCV, since a new intra-typic recombinant strain was found. Moreover, the recombination break-points were found in the structural region of the HCV genome.</p>http://www.virologyj.com/content/3/1/53
spellingShingle Colina Rodney
Cristina Juan
Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus
Virology Journal
title Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus
title_full Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus
title_fullStr Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus
title_full_unstemmed Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus
title_short Evidence of structural genomic region recombination in Hepatitis C virus
title_sort evidence of structural genomic region recombination in hepatitis c virus
url http://www.virologyj.com/content/3/1/53
work_keys_str_mv AT colinarodney evidenceofstructuralgenomicregionrecombinationinhepatitiscvirus
AT cristinajuan evidenceofstructuralgenomicregionrecombinationinhepatitiscvirus