Purified HCV RNA was used to transfect Huh-7.5.1 cells as a means of studying HCV infection independently of receptormediated entry. Five micrograms of purified RNA was incubated with 10 ml of lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen) in minimal essential media (MEM) for 30 minutes. The RNA-lipid complexes were added to cells in MEM for 16 hours; then cells were washed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and complete media was added for the remainder of the experiment.