scholarly journals Broad and Dynamic Diversification of Infectious Hepatitis C Virus in a Cell Culture Environment

2019 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Gallego ◽  
María Eugenia Soria ◽  
Carlos García-Crespo ◽  
Qian Chen ◽  
Patricia Martínez-Barragán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Consensus Sequence ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Viral Fitness ◽  
Initial Population ◽  
Constant Environment ◽  
Mouth Disease Virus ◽  
Mutant Spectrum

ABSTRACT Previous studies documented that long-term hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in human hepatoma Huh-7.5 cells resulted in viral fitness gain, expansion of the mutant spectrum, and several phenotypic alterations. In the present work, we show that mutational waves (changes in frequency of individual mutations) occurred continuously and became more prominent as the virus gained fitness. They were accompanied by an increasing proportion of heterogeneous genomic sites that affected 1 position in the initial HCV population and 19 and 69 positions at passages 100 and 200, respectively. Analysis of biological clones of HCV showed that these dynamic events affected infectious genomes, since part of the fluctuating mutations became incorporated into viable genomes. While 17 mutations were scored in 3 biological clones isolated from the initial population, the number reached 72 in 3 biological clones from the population at passage 200. Biological clones differed in their responses to antiviral inhibitors, indicating a phenotypic impact of viral dynamics. Thus, HCV adaptation to a specific constant environment (cell culture without external influences) broadens the mutant repertoire and does not focus the population toward a limited number of dominant genomes. A retrospective examination of mutant spectra of foot-and-mouth disease virus passaged in cell cultures suggests a parallel behavior here described for HCV. We propose that virus diversification in a constant environment has its basis in the availability of multiple alternative mutational pathways for fitness gain. This mechanism of broad diversification should also apply to other replicative systems characterized by high mutation rates and large population sizes. IMPORTANCE The study shows that extensive replication of an RNA virus in a constant biological environment does not limit exploration of sequence space and adaptive options. There was no convergence toward a restricted set of adapted genomes. Mutational waves and mutant spectrum broadening affected infectious genomes. Therefore, profound modifications of mutant spectrum composition and consensus sequence diversification are not exclusively dependent on environmental alterations or the intervention of population bottlenecks.

Investigations into the receptor requirements of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) pseudoparticles and cell culture grown virions

2006 ◽  
Vol 44 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
T von Hahn ◽  
M Flint ◽  
BD Lindenbach ◽  
A Boullier ◽  
O Quehenberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C

scholarly journals Genetic diversity and evolution of hepatitis C virus – 15 years on

2004 ◽  
Vol 85 (11) ◽  
pp. 3173-3188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Simmonds
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Human Liver ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
Selection Pressures ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Persistent Viruses ◽  
The Face

In the 15 years since the discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV), much has been learned about its role as a major causative agent of human liver disease and its ability to persist in the face of host-cell defences and the immune system. This review describes what is known about the diversity of HCV, the current classification of HCV genotypes within the family Flaviviridae and how this genetic diversity contributes to its pathogenesis. On one hand, diversification of HCV has been constrained by its intimate adaptation to its host. Despite the >30 % nucleotide sequence divergence between genotypes, HCV variants nevertheless remain remarkably similar in their transmission dynamics, persistence and disease development. Nowhere is this more evident than in the evolutionary conservation of numerous evasion methods to counteract the cell's innate antiviral defence pathways; this series of highly complex virus–host interactions may represent key components in establishing its ‘ecological niche’ in the human liver. On the other hand, the mutability and large population size of HCV enables it to respond very rapidly to new selection pressures, manifested by immune-driven changes in T- and B-cell epitopes that are encountered on transmission between individuals with different antigen-recognition repertoires. If human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is a precedent, future therapies that target virus protease or polymerase enzymes may also select very rapidly for antiviral-resistant mutants. These contrasting aspects of conservatism and adaptability provide a fascinating paradigm in which to explore the complex selection pressures that underlie the evolution of HCV and other persistent viruses.

scholarly journals Ultrastructural and Biophysical Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus Particles Produced in Cell Culture

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (21) ◽  
pp. 10999-11009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Gastaminza ◽  
Kelly A. Dryden ◽  
Bryan Boyd ◽  
Malcolm R. Wood ◽  
Mansun Law ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Buoyant Density ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Membrane Bilayer ◽  
Biophysical Characterization ◽  
Negative Stain ◽  
A Minor

ABSTRACT We analyzed the biochemical and ultrastructural properties of hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles produced in cell culture. Negative-stain electron microscopy revealed that the particles were spherical (∼40- to 75-nm diameter) and pleomorphic and that some of them contain HCV E2 protein and apolipoprotein E on their surfaces. Electron cryomicroscopy revealed two major particle populations of ∼60 and ∼45 nm in diameter. The ∼60-nm particles were characterized by a membrane bilayer (presumably an envelope) that is spatially separated from an internal structure (presumably a capsid), and they were enriched in fractions that displayed a high infectivity-to-HCV RNA ratio. The ∼45-nm particles lacked a membrane bilayer and displayed a higher buoyant density and a lower infectivity-to-HCV RNA ratio. We also observed a minor population of very-low-density, >100-nm-diameter vesicular particles that resemble exosomes. This study provides low-resolution ultrastructural information of particle populations displaying differential biophysical properties and specific infectivity. Correlative analysis of the abundance of the different particle populations with infectivity, HCV RNA, and viral antigens suggests that infectious particles are likely to be present in the large ∼60-nm HCV particle populations displaying a visible bilayer. Our study constitutes an initial approach toward understanding the structural characteristics of infectious HCV particles.

scholarly journals Ketoamide Resistance and Hepatitis C Virus Fitness in Val55 Variants of the NS3 Serine Protease

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 1907-1915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Welsch ◽  
Sabine Schweizer ◽  
Tetsuro Shimakami ◽  
Francisco S. Domingues ◽  
Seungtaek Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Interaction Network ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Viral Fitness ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Structural Flexibility ◽  
Residue Interaction

ABSTRACTDrug-resistant viral variants are a major issue in the use of direct-acting antiviral agents in chronic hepatitis C. Ketoamides are potent inhibitors of the NS3 protease, with V55A identified as mutation associated with resistance to boceprevir. Underlying molecular mechanisms are only partially understood. We applied a comprehensive sequence analysis to characterize the natural variability at Val55 within dominant worldwide patient strains. A residue-interaction network and molecular dynamics simulation were applied to identify mechanisms for ketoamide resistance and viral fitness in Val55 variants. An infectious H77S.3 cell culture system was used for variant phenotype characterization. We measured antiviral 50% effective concentration (EC50) and fold changes, as well as RNA replication and infectious virus yields from viral RNAs containing variants. Val55 was found highly conserved throughout all hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes. The conservative V55A and V55I variants were identified from HCV genotype 1a strains with no variants in genotype 1b. Topology measures from a residue-interaction network of the protease structure suggest a potential Val55 key role for modulation of molecular changes in the protease ligand-binding site. Molecular dynamics showed variants with constricted binding pockets and a loss of H-bonded interactions upon boceprevir binding to the variant proteases. These effects might explain low-level boceprevir resistance in the V55A variant, as well as the Val55 variant, reduced RNA replication capacity. Higher structural flexibility was found in the wild-type protease, whereas variants showed lower flexibility. Reduced structural flexibility could impact the Val55 variant's ability to adapt for NS3 domain-domain interaction and might explain the virus yield drop observed in variant strains.

Neutralizing Antibodies Induced by Cell Culture–Derived Hepatitis C Virus Protect Against Infection in Mice

2013 ◽  
Vol 145 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-455.e4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Akazawa ◽  
Masaki Moriyama ◽  
Hiroshi Yokokawa ◽  
Noriaki Omi ◽  
Noriyuki Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies

scholarly journals Unique Features of Hepatitis C Virus Capsid Formation Revealed by De Novo Cell-Free Assembly

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (17) ◽  
pp. 9257-9269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin C. Klein ◽  
Stephen J. Polyak ◽  
Jaisri R. Lingappa
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Buoyant Density ◽  
Capsid Assembly ◽  
Culture Systems ◽  
Capsid Formation ◽  
Cell Culture Systems

ABSTRACT The assembly of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is poorly understood, largely due to the lack of mammalian cell culture systems that are easily manipulated and produce high titers of virus. This problem is highlighted by the inability of the recently established HCV replicon systems to support HCV capsid assembly despite high levels of structural protein synthesis. Here we demonstrate that up to 80% of HCV core protein synthesized de novo in cell-free systems containing rabbit reticulocyte lysate or wheat germ extracts assembles into HCV capsids. This contrasts with standard primate cell culture systems, in which almost no core assembles into capsids. Cell-free HCV capsids, which have a sedimentation value of ≈100S, have a buoyant density (1.28 g/ml) on cesium chloride similar to that of HCV capsids from other systems. Capsids produced in cell-free systems are also indistinguishable from capsids isolated from HCV-infected patient serum when analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Using these cell-free systems, we show that HCV capsid assembly is independent of signal sequence cleavage, is dependent on the N terminus but not the C terminus of HCV core, proceeds at very low nascent chain concentrations, is independent of intact membrane surfaces, and is partially inhibited by cultured liver cell lysates. By allowing reproducible and quantitative assessment of viral and cellular requirements for capsid formation, these cell-free systems make a mechanistic dissection of HCV capsid assembly possible.

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