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Yellow Fever Virus Replicons as an Expression System for Hepatitis C Virus Structural Proteins

Richard Molenkamp, Engbert A. Kooi, Marjoleine A. Lucassen, Sophie Greve, Joyphi C. P. Thijssen, Willy J. M. Spaan, and Peter J. Bredenbeek^*

Department of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

Received 10 June 2002/ Accepted 7 October 2002

Chimeric yellow fever virus (YF) RNAs were constructed in which the YF structural genes were replaced by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) structural genes or fusions between the YF and HCV structural genes. Interestingly, RNA replication required nucleotide complementarity between the 3'-located conserved sequence 1 and an RNA sequence located in the 5' end of the YF capsid sequence. The (chimeric-)HCV structural proteins were efficiently expressed and processed, and the native E1/E2 heterodimer was formed. However, no indication for the production of HCV-like particles was obtained.

Present address: Central Institute for Animal Disease Control (CIDC) Lelystad, 8203 AA Lelystad, The Netherlands.