Patent ID: 8604179

Claim:
A nucleic acid comprising a chimeric gene derived from hepatitis C viruses comprising regions each encoding, Core protein, E1 protein, E2 protein and p7 protein derived from a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain; NS2 protein derived from JFH-1 strain or a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain, or a chimeric NS2 protein of NS2 protein derived from JFH-1 strain and NS2 protein derived from a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain; and NS3 protein, NS4A protein, NS4B protein, NS5A protein and NS5B protein derived from JFH-1 strain in that order in 5′ to 3′ direction, wherein the residue at position 137 of the E1 protein from a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain is substituted with an amino acid residue other than proline; and wherein residue 137 in the E1 protein corresponds to residue 328 of SEQ ID NO: 5.