DNA of nonhuman primates harbors hepatitis C-virus-specific sequences of its 5’-non-coding region (5’-NCR)[*]

Summary

The DNA from PBMCs of both hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients and healthy HCV-negative human individuals tested thus far contains essential parts - up to 272/341 nucleotides - of the HCV 5’-non-coding region (5’-NCR). These findings bring up the question of the possible evolutionary background of these sequences. Therefore, using the same methodology, we looked for the same sequences in animals closely related to man, i. e., in nonhuman primates (two chimpanzees, one orang-utan, one Debrazza monkey, two New World monkey species and a prosimian). The DNA from PBMCs of the studied animals belonging to nonhuman primates contains essential parts - up to 272/341 nucleotides - of the HCV 5’-non-coding region (5’-NCR). A common sequence of 82 nucleotides is contained in the DNA of all the tested animals but only the chimpanzee‘s DNA harbors the same, longer sequence region of 272/341 nucleotides of the 5’-NCR found in human DNA. The results may provide a clue as to the possible origin of parts of the IRES containing sequence area of the HCV.

Die DNA von nichthumanen Primaten enthält HCV-spezifische Sequencen der 5’-nichtkodierenden Region (5'-NCR)

Die DNA aus PBMCs von Hepatitis-C-Virus-(HCV)positiven Patienten und HCV-negativen Probanden enthält einen Sequenzabschnitt (bis zu 272/341 Nukleotide) der 5’-nichtkodierenden Region (5’-NCR) des Genoms vom Hepatitis-C-Virus. Diese Befunde führten zur Frage des möglichen evolutionären Hintergrundes dieser Sequenzen. Mit derselben Methode, die auch zu Analyse menschlicher DNA angewandt wurde, haben wir die genomische DNA von nichthumanen Primaten untersucht (Schimpansen, Orang-Utan, Debrazza Monkey, 2 Neuweltaffen und ein Prosimian). Ein 82 Nukleotide langer Sequenzbereich ist bei allen untersuchen Tieren vorhanden. Nur in der DNA von Schimpansen ließen sich 272/341 Nukleotide des 5’-NCR nachweisen, die bisher auch bei HCV-negativen Probanden detektiert und analysiert wurden. Diese Befunde könnten auf den möglichen Ursprung von Sequenzbereichen des HCV-Genoms hinweisen, die an der IRES beteiligt sind.

Abbreviations: PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; IRES, internal ribosome entry site; 5’-NCR, 5’-non-coding region of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome; NWM, New World monkeys; OWM, Old World monkeys; PRS, Prosimian; PAC, phage artifical chromosome library; RE, restriction endonuclease; DGKC, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Klinische Chemie.

Hepatitis C Virus - 5’-non-coding Region - DNA-Sequences - Nonhuman Primates - Phylogenetic Background

Hepatitis-C-Virus - 5’-nichtkodierende Region - DNA-Sequenzen - nichthumane Primaten - phylogenetischer Hintergrund

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1 Parts of this manuscript have been presented at the XIth International Congress of Virology, August 9 to 13, 1999, Sydney, Australia; Abstract No. VP13.04.

1

2 Here we only want to present data about these very basic findings of 5’-NCR sequence sections of the expected molecular size in non-human primates. Summarized details of amplified fragments of longer than the expected size from both chimpanzee and orang-utan, in comparision with those found in humans, will be presented elsewhere.

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