A previously unrecognized sixth genotype of GB virus C revealed by analysis of 5′‐untranslated region sequences

Abstract

GB virus C (GBV‐C) is a positive‐strand RNA virus that infects a large proportion of the world's human population. It has been classified tentatively as a member of the Flaviviridae family and has been shown to exist as a group of five closely related genotypes. Recently, we reported the first full‐length genome sequence of a genotype 5 isolate from South Africa [Muerhoff et al. (2005): J Gen Virol 86: 1729–1735]. As part of the analysis of that sequence, a phylogenetic tree was elucidated from the 5′‐untranslated region (UTR) that showed excellent congruence to the tree produced by analysis of complete open reading frame sequences. When 5′‐UTR analysis was broadened subsequently to include additional isolates from around the globe, a heretofore unrecognized GBV‐C genotype was discovered in Indonesia. When first reported in 2000 [Handajani et al. (2000): J Clin Microbiol 38:662–668], these isolates were described as constituting a novel fifth genotype. However, comparison to isolates from the then‐known fourth and fifth genotypes (from Myanmar/Vietnam and South Africa, respectively) was not performed. A dataset of 121 GBV‐C 5′‐UTR sequences was complied and included representatives of the fourth and fifth genotypes as well as the “novel” Indonesian sequences and demonstrated, with strong support via bootstrap analysis, the existence of a sixth GBV‐C genotype among infected individuals in Indonesia. The discovery of this sixth genotype emphasizes the diverse nature of GBV‐C isolates and may have important implications for the interpretation of studies involving GBV‐C/HIV co‐infected individuals. J. Med. Virol. 78:105–111, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, inc.

Recombination among GB virus C (GBV-C) isolates in the United States

“…This polyprotein encodes for at least two structural proteins -envelope protein 1 (E1) and envelope protein 2 (E2) -as well as for multiple nonstructural proteins -NS2 to NS5. To date, at least six GBV-C genotypes have been identified (Feng et al, 2011;Muerhoff et al, 2005Muerhoff et al, , 2006. These are typically classified by phylogenetic comparison of the 5¢UTR.…”

Molecular epidemiology of GB type C virus among individuals exposed to hepatitis C virus in Cameroon

“…There have been reports of GBV-C Genotype 1 from Ghana in West Africa, 2 of GBV-C Genotype 1 and Genotype 2 from Cameroon and Congo in Central Africa, 7 and GBV-C Genotype 1, Genotype 2 and Genotype 5 from South Africa in Southern Africa. 19 We identified GBV-C Genotype 2 and Genotype 1 from our study with remarkable predominance of Genotype 1 showing four distinct clades. Ten years after the identification of GBV-C in Ghana, many isolates have been reported from around the world.…”

“…The six genotypes of GBV-C show marked geographical differences in distribution. 19 Thus far, Genotype 1, which shows greatest overall sequence diversity, is confined in sub-Saharan Africa. 7,20 Human isolates of GBV-C show low sequence diversity and are more distantly related to simian isolates.…”

Selection, Expression and Purification of Single-Chain Fv Antibodies Against Non-structural Proteins of GB Virus C

“…There are higher GBV-C infection rates among immunocompromised individuals. Depending on the population, GBV-C co-infection with HCV varies from 11% to 43.6% [3][4][5][6][7], from 14% to 36% with HIV-1 [8], and from 30 to 36% with HIV/HCV [9,10].…”