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Transcripts from a single full-length cDNA clone of hepatitis C virus are infectious when directly transfected into the liver of a chimpanzee.

ABSTRACT: We have succeeded in constructing a stable full-length cDNA clone of strain H77 (genotype 1a) of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We devised a cassette vector with fixed 5' and 3' termini and constructed multiple full-length cDNA clones of H77 in a single step by cloning of the entire ORF, which was amplified by long reverse transcriptase-PCR, directly into this vector. The infectivity of two complete full-length cDNA clones was tested by the direct intrahepatic injection of a chimpanzee with RNA transcripts. However, we found no evidence for HCV replication. Sequence analysis of these and 16 additional full-length clones revealed that seven clones were defective for polyprotein synthesis, and the remaining nine clones had 6-28 amino acid mutations in the predicted polyprotein compared with the consensus sequence of H77. Next, we constructed a consensus chimera from four of the full-length cDNA clones with just two ligation steps. Injection of RNA transcripts from this consensus clone into the liver of a chimpanzee resulted in viral replication. The sequence of the virus recovered from the chimpanzee was identical to that of the injected RNA transcripts. This stable infectious molecular clone should be an important tool for developing a better understanding of the molecular biology and pathogenesis of HCV.

SUBMITTER: Yanagi M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC23104 | biostudies-literature | 1997 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Transcripts from a single full-length cDNA clone of hepatitis C virus are infectious when directly transfected into the liver of a chimpanzee.

Yanagi M M Purcell R H RH Emerson S U SU Bukh J J

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 19970801 16

We have succeeded in constructing a stable full-length cDNA clone of strain H77 (genotype 1a) of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We devised a cassette vector with fixed 5' and 3' termini and constructed multiple full-length cDNA clones of H77 in a single step by cloning of the entire ORF, which was amplified by long reverse transcriptase-PCR, directly into this vector. The infectivity of two complete full-length cDNA clones was tested by the direct intrahepatic injection of a chimpanzee with RNA transc ...[more]

PMID: 9238047

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Project description:Historically part of the coronavirus (CoV) family, torovirus (ToV) was recently classified in the new family Tobaniviridae. While reverse genetics systems have been established for various CoVs, none exist for ToVs. Here, we developed a reverse genetics system using an infectious full-length cDNA clone of bovine ToV (BToV) in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). Recombinant BToV harboring genetic markers had the same phenotype as wild-type (wt) BToV. To generate two types of recombinant virus, the hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) gene was edited, as cell-adapted wtBToV generally loses full-length HE (HEf), resulting in soluble HE (HEs). First, recombinant viruses with HEf and hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged HEf or HEs genes were rescued. These exhibited no significant differences in their effect on virus growth in HRT18 cells, suggesting that HE is not essential for viral replication in these cells. Thereafter, we generated a recombinant virus (rEGFP) wherein HE was replaced by the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene. rEGFP expressed EGFP in infected cells but showed significantly lower levels of viral growth than wtBToV. Moreover, rEGFP readily deleted the EGFP gene after one passage. Interestingly, rEGFP variants with two mutations (C1442F and I3562T) in nonstructural proteins (NSPs) that emerged during passage exhibited improved EGFP expression, EGFP gene retention, and viral replication. An rEGFP into which both mutations were introduced displayed a phenotype similar to that of these variants, suggesting that the mutations contributed to EGFP gene acceptance. The current findings provide new insights into BToV, and reverse genetics will help advance the current understanding of this neglected pathogen. IMPORTANCE ToVs are diarrhea-causing pathogens detected in various species, including humans. Through the development of a BAC-based BToV, we introduced the first reverse genetics system for Tobaniviridae. Utilizing this system, recombinant BToVs with a full-length HE gene were generated. Remarkably, although clinical BToVs generally lose the HE gene after a few passages, some recombinant viruses generated in the current study retained the HE gene for up to 20 passages while accumulating mutations in NSPs, which suggested that these mutations may be involved in HE gene retention. The EGFP gene of recombinant viruses was unstable, but rEGFP into which two NSP mutations were introduced exhibited improved EGFP expression, gene retention, and viral replication. These data suggested the existence of an NSP-based acceptance or retention mechanism for exogenous RNA or HE genes. Recombinant BToVs and reverse genetics are powerful tools for understanding fundamental viral processes, pathogenesis, and BToV vaccine development.

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Transcripts from a single full-length cDNA clone of hepatitis C virus are infectious when directly transfected into the liver of a chimpanzee.

Publications

Transcripts from a single full-length cDNA clone of hepatitis C virus are infectious when directly transfected into the liver of a chimpanzee.

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