Immuno Japan Inc.

Ryoji Tamura

Hiroaki Okamoto

Tetsuo Nakamura

Tsutomu Nishizawa

By isolating a so far unknown novel hepatitis virus and determining the gene sequence thereof, genes, polynucleotides, polypeptides, methods for isolating virus particles, virus particles, and antiviral antibodies, which can be used for diagnosis and treatment, as well as methods for detecting viruses are provided. Disclosed is a non-B, non-C, non-G hepatitis virus gene having a nucleotide sequence from which a sequence having a length of from about 3500 nucleotides to about 4000 nucleotides can be amplified by PCR utilizing an oligonucleotide having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 57 and an oligonucleotide having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 60 as primers, or PCR utilizing an oligonucleotide having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 57 and an oligonucleotide having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 61 as primers. Based on the nucleotide sequence of the gene, polypeptides etc. are provided.

Non-B, non-C, non-G hepatitis virus gene, polynucleotide, polypeptide, virus particle, method for isolating virus particle, and method for detecting virus

The noncoding region, containing at least 324 nucleotides, of the 5' terminus of non-A, non-B hepatitis virus is disclosed. Also disclosed is the nucleotide sequence of the structural gene which is upstream of the noncoding region. Oligonucleotide primers derived from these regions can be used to to detect non-A, non-B hepatitis virus.

Oligonucleotide primers, and their application for high-fidelity

Disclosed are nucleotide sequences of the 5' noncoding region and the following structural protein coding region of HCV which have not been previously discovered, and a method to detect HCV with high specificity and good sensitivity using the oligonucleotides as a primer or a probe in order to detect extensively HCV genes of more varied strains.

Oligonucleotides of HCV, primers and probes therefrom, method of

Non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANB hepatitis) virus RNA and its corresponding polypeptide, related antigen, antibody, and detection systems for detecting NANB hepatitis antigen or antibodies.

Non-A, non-B, hepatitis virus genome, polynucleotides, polypeptides,

Hepatitis C virus oligonucleotides and a system to determine hepatitis C virus genotypes with polymerase chain reaction utilizing those oligonucleotides as primers.

Growing community of inventors

Tochigi, Japan

Hiroaki Okamoto