Patent ID: 6171784
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A method for the identification of novel HCV sequences which are different from the known HCV sequences comprising the steps of:providing a biological sample which has been previously determined as containing HCV,detecting the presence in said biological sample of novel HCV sequences which are different from the known HCV sequences by observing that the nucleic acids present in said sample do not hybridize with at least one of the probes used in a method for HCV genotyping comprising the steps of hybridizing nucleic acids in a biological sample with at least one probe and detecting a complex formed with said probe and nucleic acids of the biological sample, wherein said probe specifically hybridizes to at least 5 nucleotides in one of the following domains of the 5' untranslated region of the HCV genome contained in said biological sample:(a) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -293 to nucleotide at position -278,(b) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -275 to nucleotide at position -260,(c) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -253 to nucleotide at position -238,(d) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -244 to nucleotide at position -229,(e) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -238 to nucleotide at position -233,(f) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -170 to nucleotide at position -155,(g) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -141 to nucleotide at position -117,(h) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -83 to nucleotide at position -68,(i) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -103 to nucleotide at position -88,(j) the domain extending from nucleotide at position -146 to nucleotide at position -130,sequencing the complete genome of the novel HCV sequence present in said sample, or, alternatively sequencing the portions(s) of the 5' untranslated region or a portion of the coding region of the novel HCV sequence present in said sample.