Patent ID: 8143022

Claim:
A method for producing infectious hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles, comprising the step of introducing the following expression vector i) or ii) into a cell that is selected from the group consisting of Huh7, Huh7.5.1, and HepG2 cells: i) an expression vector comprising: DNA sequences encoding the 5′ untranslated region, Core protein, E1 protein, E2 protein, p7 protein, NS2 protein, NS3 protein, NS4A protein, NS4B protein, NS5A protein, and NS5B protein and the 3′ untranslated region derived from the HCV JFH1 strain, downstream of an RNA polymerase I promoter; and DNA comprising an RNA polymerase I terminator, further downstream thereof; or ii) an expression vector comprising: DNA sequences encoding the 5′ untranslated region, Core protein, E1 protein, E2 protein, and p7 protein derived from an HCV J6CF strain and DNA sequences encoding NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B proteins and the 3′ untranslated region derived from the HCV JFH1 strain, downstream of an RNA polymerase I promoter; and DNA containing an RNA polymerase I terminator, further downstream thereof.