Cloned genome of infectious hepatitis C virus of genotype 2A and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses nucleic acid sequence which encodes infectious hepatitis C virus of strain HC-J6 CH , genotype 2a, and the use of the sequence, and polypeptides encoded by all or part of the sequence, in the development of vaccines and diagnostics for HCV and in the development of screening assays for the identification of antiviral agents for HCV.

1 .- 37 . (canceled)  
     
     
         38 . A purified and isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes human hepatitis C virus of genotype 2a, said molecule capable of expressing said virus when transfected into cells and further capable of infectivity in vivo, wherein said molecule encodes an amino acid sequence that differs from that of SEQ ID NO: 2 by <2.2% at the amino acid level.  
     
     
         39 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 38 , wherein said molecule comprises a nucleic acid sequence that differs from that of SEQ ID NO: 1 from nucleotide 341 to 9439, which corresponds to the ORF, by <4.1% at the nucleotide level.  
     
     
         40 . A DNA construct comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 38 .  
     
     
         41 . A DNA construct comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 39 .  
     
     
         42 . An RNA transcript of the DNA construct of  claim 40 .  
     
     
         43 . An RNA transcript of the DNA construct of  claim 41 .  
     
     
         44 . An in vitro cell transfected with the DNA construct of  claim 40 .  
     
     
         45 . An in vitro cell transfected with the DNA construct of  claim 41 .  
     
     
         46 . An in vitro cell transfected with the RNA transcript of  claim 42 .  
     
     
         47 . An in vitro cell transfected with the RNA transcript of  claim 43 .  
     
     
         48 . A composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule of  claim 38  suspended in a suitable amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or excipient.  
     
     
         49 . A composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule of  claim 39  suspended in a suitable amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or excipient.