DESCRIPTION
Nucleic Acid Derived from Hepatitis C Virus and Expression Vector, Transformed
Cell, and Hepatitis C Virus Particles Each Prepared by Using The Same
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to hepatitis C virus-derived nucleic acids and
expression vectors, transformed cells, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles
prepared using the nucleic acids.
Background Art
[0002]
An experimental system that enables efficient virus amplification is
essential for viral research and research and development of antiviral drugs.
Moreover, if a system for amplifying a virus using cultured cells or a system for
evaluating viral growth using cultured cells exists, viral research and research and
development regarding antiviral drugs will be drastically advanced.
[0003]
The hepatitis C virus (hereinafter, HCV) belongs to the family Flaviviridae,
comprising single-stranded (+) sense RNA as its genome, and is known to cause
hepatitis C. Recent studies have revealed that the hepatitis C virus is classified
into many types depending on genotype or serotype. According to Simmonds et al'
s phylogenetic analysis method using the nucleotide sequences of the HCV strains,
HCV is classified into 6 genotypes, and the genotypes are further classified into
several subtypes (Simmonds, P. et al, Hepatology, 1994, 10: 1321-1324). The
nucleotide sequences of the full-length genomes of a plurality of HCV genotypes
have now been determined (Choo et al., Science, 1989, 244: 359-362; K'ato et al., J.
Med. Virol., 2001, 64: 334-339; Okamoto, H et al., J. Gen Virol., 1992, 73: 673-679;
and Yoshioka et al., Hepatology, 1992, 16: 293-299).
[0004]
Until recently, infection of cultured cells with HCV or replication of the
HCV genome in cultured cells, had been impossible. Hence, research into the HCV

replication mechanism or the HCV infection mechanism has required experiments
using an in vivo system using chimpanzees as experimental animals. However,
preparation of subgenomic replicon RNA from the Con1 strain, the N strain, and the
O strain of HCV of genotype lb, as well as the H77 strain of HCV of genotype 1a
has made it possible to conduct experiments on research into the HCV replication
mechanism in an in vitro system using cultured cells (JP Patent Publication (Kokai)
No. 2001-17187 A; Lomann et al., Science, 1999, 285: 110-113; Blight et al.,
Science, 2000, 290: 1972-1974; Friebe et al., 2001, 75: 12047-12057; and Ikeda et
al., J. Virol., 2002, 76: 2997-3006). Here, the term "HCV subgenomic replicon
RNA" refers to RNA comprising a part of the HCV genome, which is incapable of
producing infectious HCV particles but capable of self-replication of HCV genome-
derived RNA introduced into cells.
[0005]
Furthermore, together with subgenomic replicon RNA, full-genomic
replicon RNA, by which infectious HCV particles are produced by in vitro
introduction into Huh7 cells, has been prepared from the JFH-1 strain of HCV of
genotype 2a. This has made it possible to conduct an experiment with an in vitro
system using cultured cells also for research into the HCV infection mechanism
(Kato, T et al., Gastroenterology, 2003, 125: 1808-1817; and Wakita, T et al, Nat
Med., 2005, 11: 791-796). Here, the term "HCV full-genomic replicon RNA"
refers to RNA comprising a full-length HCV genome, which is capable of self-
replication of HCV genome-derived RNA introduced into cells and is capable of
producing infectious HCV particles.
[0006]
Meanwhile, hepatitis C is currently treated mainly by single-agent therapy
with interferon-a or interferon-p and combination therapy with interferon-a and
ribavirin, which is a purine-nucleoside derivative. However, it is known that even
when these therapies are carried out, therapeutic effects are observed for only about
60% of all treated patients. It is also known that the disease flares up again among
half or more of effectively treated patients if the therapies are discontinued. Also,
the therapeutic effects of interferons are associated with HCV genotypes and thus
are known to be low for genotype lb but high for genotype 2a (Mori, S., et al.,
Biochem. Biophis. Res. Commun., 1992, 183: 334-342).

[0007]
The reasons why the therapeutic effects of interferons differ depending on
HCV genotype have not yet been clarified. One of the reasons is thought to be the
presence of differences in HCV replication mechanism or HCV replication
efficiency.
[0008]
However, the presence of the HCV subgenomic replicon RNA is limited to
several types from the HCV strains of genotypes la, lb, and 2a. Moreover, the
presence of full-genomic replicon RNA is limited to one type from the JFH-1 strain
of HCV of genotype 2a. Hence, elucidation of the relationship between HCV
genotype and HCV replication mechanism or HCV replication efficiency has been
difficult. Also, the types of viral particles that can be artificially prepared and used
for raw materials of HCV vaccines are also limited to those generated from the full-
genomic replicon RNA. Thus, the finding of other subgenomic replicon RNAs or
full-genomic replicons RNA of HCV with a characteristic replication mechanism or
replication efficiency has been desired.
[0009]
Subgenomic replicon RNAs or full-genomic replicon RNAs from HCV of
the same genotype or from the same HCV strain having different characteristics in
terms of replication mechanism or replication efficiency have been absent. Hence,
differences in HCV replication mechanism or HCV replication efficiency could not
have been compared using samples with the same genetic background.
Furthermore, factors required for replication of HCV targeted by a new anti-HCV
therapeutic agent could not have been identified and an anti-HCV therapeutic agent
capable of exerting beneficial effects independently from the replication mechanism
or the replication efficiency could not have been screened for.
Disclosure of the Invention
Problem to Be Solved by the Invention
[0010]
An object of the present invention is to provide new HCV subgenomic
replicon RNA and full-genomic replicon RNA with high self-replication capacity.

Means for Solving the Problem
[0011]
The present inventors have introduced subgenomic replicon RNA prepared
from an HCV genome isolated from a fulminant hepatitis C patient into cultured
cells and then intensively studied mutations generated in the subgenomic replicon
RNA that has self-replicated. Thus, they have revealed a mutation that
significantly increases self-replication capacity (autonomous replication capacity).
Furthermore, they have succeeded in preparation of full-genomic replicon RNA
capable of producing infectious HCV particles by ligating regions and the like
encoding structural protein of the HCV genome to HCV subgenomic replicon RNA
having the mutation that significantly increases self-replication capacity. Thus,
they have completed the present invention.
[0012]
Specifically, the present invention provides a nucleic acid, comprising a
5' untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein coding
region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an NS5B
protein coding region, and a 3' untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus genome,
wherein the nucleic acid has nucleotide substitutions causing one or more amino
acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L,
C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and
G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the
Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the NS3 protein coding region, the
NS5A protein coding region, or the NS5B protein coding region.
[0013]
The nucleic acid preferably has, at least, a nucleotide substitution causing
amino acid substitution A(2218)S in the NS5A protein coding region.
[0014]
The nucleic acid preferably further comprising a Core protein coding
region, an E1 protein coding region, an E2 protein coding region, a p7 protein
coding region, and an NS2 protein coding region of a hepatitis C virus genome.
[0015]
In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid encodes an amino acid
sequence having one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group

consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S,
H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid
sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence,
in the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 6 in the Sequence Listing.
[0016]
In another preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid consists of the
nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 13 in the Sequence Listing.
[0017]
The nucleic acid may further comprise a marker gene and/or an IRES
sequence.
[0018]
The nucleic acid may be a subgenomic replicon RNA.
[0019]
Alternatively, the nucleic acid may be a full-genomic replicon RNA.
[0020]
The nucleic acid comprising an HCV subgenomic sequence is useful as a
template for synthesis of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA or directly as HCV
subgenomic replicon RNA. HCV subgenomic replicon RNA is introduced into
cultured cells, so that self-replication capacity higher than that of HCV subgenomic
replicon RNA obtained thus far is exhibited. Accordingly, the nucleic acid
comprising an HCV subgenomic sequence can be used for screening for an anti-
HCV drug that inhibits HCV replication or for studies for elucidating HCV
replication mechanism.
[0021]
The nucleic acid comprising an HCV full-genomic sequence is useful as a
template for synthesis of HCV full-genomic replicon RNA or directly as HCV full-
genomic replicon RNA. HCV full-genomic replicon RNA is introduced into
cultured cells, so that self-replication capacity higher than that of HCV full-genomic
replicon RNA obtained so far is exhibited and infectious HCV particles can be
efficiently produced.
[0022]
The present invention further provides an expression vector comprising
the nucleic acid that is operably ligated downstream of a promoter.

[0023]
The present invention may further provide an expression vector comprising
a nucleic acid that is operably ligated downstream of a promoter and encodes the
full-genomic replicon RNA.
[0024]
The present invention also provides a transformed cell that is obtained by
introducing the full-genomic replicon RNA or an expression vector comprising a
nucleic acid encoding the full-genomic replicon RNA. In such transformed cells,
preferably, the full-genomic replicon RNA is self-replicating. Such transformed
cells can be appropriately used for the production of hepatitis C virus (HCV)
particles. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles obtained by culturing the transformed
cells are further provided according to the present invention. The present
invention also provides antibodies against such hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles.
[0025]
This description includes the disclosure of the description and drawings
of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-335016, from which the present
application claims priority.
Effects of the Invention
[0026]
According to the present invention, HCV subgenomic replicon RNA and
HCV full-genomic replicon RNA having high self-replication capacity can be
provided. Such replicon RNA can be used for screening for an anti-HCV drug
inhibiting HCV replication or for studies for elucidating HCV replication
mechanism. Moreover, the HCV full-genomic replicon RNA of the present
invention has HCV particle-producing capacity higher than that of HCV full-
genomic replicon RNA obtained so far. Hence, infectious HCV particles can be
prepared in vitro in large amounts. The thus obtained HCV particles can be used as
HCV vaccines or antigens for preparation of anti-HCV antibodies.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0027]
Fig. 1A shows the full-length genome structure of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain

and JFH-2.3 strain. Fig. 1B and C show the structures of vectors pSGR-JFH-2.1
and pSGR-JFH-2.3 for synthesis of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA from the JFH-
2.1 and JFH-2.3 strains. Fig. 1D shows the structure of an HCV subgenomic
replicon RNA from the JFH-2.1 and JFH-2.3 strains.
Fig. 2 shows photos showing colony formation by cells into which HCV
subgenomic replicon RNA from the JFH-2.1 and the JFH-2.3 strains were
introduced.
Fig. 3 shows amino acid mutations found in mutant replicons, which took
place in cells into which the JFH-2.3 subgenomic replicon RNA had been
introduced.
Fig. 4 shows the mutant JFH-2.1 HCV subgenomic replicon RNA (Fig.
4A) into which the amino acid substitutions found in the JFH-2.3 subgenomic
replicon were introduced and photos showing colony formation by cells transformed
with each of them (Fig. 4B).
Fig. 5 shows the structures of J6/JFH-2.1 and J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S chimeric
HCV full-genomic replicon RNAs.
Fig. 6 shows changes over time in Core protein level in Huh7 cells into
which the J6/JFH-2.1 and J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S chimeric HCV full-genomic replicon
RNAs were introduced.
Fig. 7 shows changes over time in Core protein level in culture
supernatants resulting from subculture of Huh7 cells into which the J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S chimeric HCV full-genomic replicon RNA was introduced.
Fig. 8 shows the result of evaluating the infectivity of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
HCV particles.
Fig. 9 shows the structures of the JFH-2.1 genome RNA (HCV full-
genomic replicon RNA) and the JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV full-genomic replicon RNA.
Fig. 10 shows changes over time in Core protein level in culture
supernatants resulting from subculture of Huh7 cells into which the JFH-2.1 A2218S
HCV full-genomic replicon RNA was introduced.
Fig. 11 shows the result of evaluating the infectivity of JFH-2.1 A2218S
HCV particles.
Fig. 12 shows changes over time in Core protein level in culture
supernatants resulting from subculture of Huh7 cells (Huh7.5.1 cells) transfected

with J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S-derived mutant HCV RNA. In Fig. 12, J6/JFH2-AS, CS,
LP, TI, CS/LP, CS/TI, TI/LP, CS/TI/LP, AT/CS/TI/LP, all-4A-mutations-introduced
virus, and all-4B-mutations-introduced virus denote J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S, J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (CS), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (LP), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI), J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S(CS/LP), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/LP), J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (CS/TI/LP), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA), and J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR), respectively. The results for J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA) are shown with open circles and the results for J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR) are shown with solid circles.
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0028]
(1) Mutant HCV replicon RNA and nucleic acid encoding the RNA according to the
present invention
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome is a single-stranded (+) RNA
comprising approximately 9,600 nucleotides. This genomic RNA comprises a 5'-
untranslated region (also referred to as "5' UTR" or "5' NTR "), a translational
region composed of a structural region and a nonstructural region, and a 3'-
untranslated region (also referred to as "3' UTR" or "3' NTR"). In the structural
region, HCV structural proteins are encoded and in the nonstructural region,
nonstructural proteins are encoded.
[0029]
HCV structural proteins and nonstructural proteins are first transcribed
and translated as a continuous precursor protein (polyprotein) from the translational
region. HCV structural proteins are subjected to limited degradation by protease in
host cells and nonstructural protein portions are subjected to limited degradation by
2 types of autocatalytically acting HCV protease activity, and then these proteins are
separately released as mature proteins.
[0030]
HCV structural proteins are Core, E1, E2, and p7, composing an HCV
viral particle part. Core is a Core protein, E1 and E2 are envelope proteins, and p7
is a protein that forms an ion channel functioning on the membranes of host cells.

[0031]
HCV nonstructural proteins are NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and
NS5B, which are enzyme proteins having activity involved in viral genome
replication or HCV protein processing. Various HCV genotypes are known and
HCV genomes of various genotypes are known to have similar gene structures.
[0032]
The HCV 5' untranslated region (5' UTR or 5' NTR) provides an internal
ribosome-entry site (IRES) for protein translation and elements required for
replication, comprising about 340 nucleotides from the N-terminus of the full-length
HCV genome.
[0033]
HCV 3' untranslated region (3' UTR or 3' NTR) has functions of helping
HCV replication and comprises an additional region of about 100 nucleotides, in
addition to a poly U region.
[0034]
With the use of the HCV genome, the present invention provides RNA
that is self-replicable with high efficiency or DNA that encodes the RNA,
comprising an HCV subgenomic sequence or the HCV full-genomic sequence into
which a mutation has been introduced to increase self-replication capacity.
[0035]
The term "replicon RNA" in the present invention refers to RNA that is
self-replicable (autonomously replicable) in cells. Replicon RNA introduced into
cells self-replicates and the resulting RNA copies are distributed to daughter cells
after cell division, so that stable introduction into cells is possible using replicon
RNA. In the present invention, the term "genotype" in the context of HCV refers
to a genotype that is classified according to the International Classification
developed by Simmonds et.al.
[0036]
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a nucleic acid
comprising a 5' untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein
coding region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an
NS5B protein coding region, and a 3' untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus
genome, wherein the nucleic acid has nucleotide substitutions that cause one or

more amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K,
F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R,
K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ
ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the NS3 protein coding
region, the NS5A protein coding region, or the NS5B protein coding region. Such
a nucleic acid is typically mutant HCV replicon RNA or DNA encoding the mutant
RNA.
[0037]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention is a nucleic acid that
comprises a 5' untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein
coding region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an
NS5B protein coding region, and a 3' untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus
genome and encodes an amino acid sequence comprising at least the NS3 protein,
the NS5A protein, or the NS5B protein in which one or more amino acid
substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W,
T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as
defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence
Listing as a reference sequence.
[0038]
The term "nucleic acid" as used herein refers to, in addition to RNA and
DNA, a hybrid nucleic acid formed via binding thereof. Also, herein, the term
"protein coding region" refers to a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid
sequence of a given protein, which may or may not comprise an initiation codon and
a termination codon.
[0039]
In the Description, the expression "amino acid substitution "a(Z)b" as
defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: "X" in the Sequence
Listing as a reference sequence" means that an amino acid in a given amino acid
sequence Y to be aligned with amino acid "a" located at position "Z" in the amino
acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: "X", which is, but not limited to, preferably
amino acid "a" that is the same as in SEQ ID NO: "X" or an amino acid analogous
to amino acid "a", is substituted with amino acid "b", when the amino acid sequence
Y (preferably, homologous to SEQ ID NO: "X") is aligned with the sequence shown

in SEQ ID NO: "X" in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence. Here, "a"
and "b" represent given amino acids, which are each described based on single letter
notation generally used for amino acids in the field of biology.
[0040]
Thus, for example, the expression "amino acid substitution A(2218)S as
defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence
Listing as a reference sequence," means a substitution of S (serine) for an amino
acid in a given amino acid sequence Y to be aligned with the amino acid A (alanine)
at position 2218 of SEQ ID NO: 6 when the amino acid sequence "Y" of a HCV
precursor protein is aligned with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6
(the amino acid sequence of the precursor protein of the HCV JFH-2.3 strain).
Therefore, when the 2217th alanine (alanine at position 2217) in the amino acid
sequence of an entire HCV precursor protein is aligned with the alanine at position
2218 in the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6, for example, substitution
of alanine at position 2217 with serine in the amino acid sequence of interest
corresponds to "amino acid substitution A(2218)S as defined using the amino acid
sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence."
[0041]
Also, the phrase "amino acid at position "Z" as defined using the amino
acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: "X" in the Sequence Listing as a reference
sequence" refers to an amino acid in a given amino acid sequence Y to be aligned
with the amino acid at position "Z" in the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID
NO: "X" when the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: "X" is aligned with the sequence
Y (preferably, homologous to SEQ ID NO: "X"). The expression "nucleotide at
position "Z" as defined using the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: "X" in
the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence" will be also similarly understood.
[0042]
In the Description, if a nucleic acid is RNA and the nucleotide sequence
or nucleotides of RNA are specified by referring to SEQ ID NO(S) in the Sequence
Listing, "T (thymine)" in the nucleotide sequence shown in the relevant SEQ ID NO
should be read as "U (uracil)."
[0043]
Alignment of a given sequence Y with the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:

"X" can be manually carried out, or by the Clustal W multiple alignment program
(Thompson, J. D. et al, (1994) Nucleic Acids Res. 22, p.4673-4680) using default
setting, for example.
[0044]
In the Description, each HCV region can also be identified with the
nucleotide positions at the 5' terminus and the 3' terminus of each region, as defined
using the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 (the full-length genome
sequence of the JFH-2.3 strain) as a reference sequence. In the nucleotide
sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, 5' UTR ranges from nucleotide positions 1 to
340, the Core coding region (Core region) ranges from nucleotide positions 341 to
913, the E1 coding region (E1 region) ranges from nucleotide positions 914 to 1492,
the E2 coding region (E2 region) ranges from nucleotide positions 1493 to 2593, the
p7 coding region (p7 region) ranges from nucleotide positions 2594 to 2782, the
NS2 coding region (NS2 region) ranges from nucleotide positions 2783 to 3433, the
NS3 coding region (NS3 region) ranges from nucleotide positions 3434 to 5326, the
NS4A coding region (NS4A region) ranges from nucleotide positions 5327 to 5488,
the NS4B coding region (NS4B region) ranges from nucleotide positions 5489 to
6271, the NS5A coding region (NS5A region) ranges from nucleotide positions 6272
to 7669, the NS5B coding region (NS5B region) ranges from nucleotide positions
7670 to 9445, and 3' UTR ranges from nucleotide positions 9446 to 9686.
[0045]
In the Description, an amino acid in an HCV precursor protein can be
specified with an amino acid number that is given by numbering with the translation
initiation methionine (M) of the precursor protein being numbered as the "1st"
amino acid. For example, the precursor protein of the JFH-2.1 strain begins from
the translation initiation methionine and then terminates at the 3034th arginine (R).
In addition, the 2218th amino acid of the JFH-2.1 strain is alanine (A) comprised in
the NS5A region.
[0046]
In the Description, an amino acid substitution is denoted by, A(2218)S, or
A→S at position 2218, for example. Specifically, as a rule, both of them mean that
A (alanine) at position 2218 is substituted with S (serine). In the Description,
amino acids or amino acid residues are described by single letter codes or three

letter codes that are generally employed for amino acids in the field of biology
(Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual Second Edition, 1989).
The amino acids as denoted above also include amino acids subjected to post-
translational modification such as hydroxylation, glycosylation, or sulfation.
[0047]
In the present invention, one or more amino acid substitutions selected
from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T,
A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S as defined using the
amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference
sequence are introduced into the NS3 protein, the NS5A protein, and the NS5B
protein in an HCV precursor protein, so that the self-replication capacity of the
replicon RNA encoding the HCV precursor protein can be increased. Such
introduction of an amino acid substitution(s) can be carried out by introducing a
nucleotide substitution that causes the relevant amino acid substitution into DNA
encoding HCV replicon RNA using genetic engineering techniques known by
persons skilled in the art.
[0048]
A nucleotide substitution(s) that causes the above amino acid
substitution(s) can be easily specified by comparing a codon of the amino acid after
substitution with a codon of the amino acid before substitution, in light of the
genetic code table well-known in the field of biology.
[0049]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention such as mutant HCV
replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA is not limited, but preferably has a
nucleotide substitution that causes at least amino acid substitution A(2218)S from
among the above amino acid substitutions. This is because the amino acid
substitution is particularly effective for enhancing self-replication. For example, a
nucleotide substitution that causes amino acid substitution A(2218)S is preferably a
nucleotide substitution that converts codons encoding alanine at amino acid position
2218 (in general, GCT, GCC, GCA, or GCG) into codons encoding serine, such as
TCA, TCC, TCG, TCT, AGT, or AGC.
[0050]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention, such as mutant HCV

replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA, may further comprise a Core protein
coding region, an E1 protein coding region, an E2 protein coding region, and a p7
protein coding region of a hepatitis C virus genome, in addition to the 5'
untranslated region, the NS3 protein coding region, the NS4A protein coding region,
the NS4B protein coding region, the NS5A protein coding region, the NS5B protein
coding region, and the 3' untranslated region. The mutant HCV replicon RNA
according to the present invention or a nucleic acid encoding the RNA may further
comprise an NS2 protein coding region of a hepatitis C virus genome. The mutant
HCV replicon RNA according to the present invention or a nucleic acid encoding
the RNA further preferably comprises the Core protein coding region, the El protein
coding region, the E2 protein coding region, the p7 protein coding region, and the
NS2 protein coding region, and more preferably comprises the same in this order.
[0051]
A preferable example of the nucleic acid according to the present
invention is a nucleic acid encoding an amino acid sequence with one or more amino
acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L,
C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and
G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the
Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ
ID NO: 5 or 6 in the Sequence Listing. The nucleic acid encodes a mutant of the
precursor protein of the JFH-2.1 strain (SEQ ID NO: 5) or the JFH-2.3 strain (SEQ
ID NO: 6) isolated from a fulminant hepatitis patient.
[0052]
Another preferable example of the above nucleic acid according to the
present invention is a nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in
SEQ ID NO: 12 or 13 in the Sequence Listing.
[0053]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention such as mutant HCV
replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA preferably further comprises a foreign
gene such as a marker gene and/or an IRES sequence. Examples of such a marker
gene includes a selection marker gene that can impart selectivity to cells by which
only cells expressing the relevant gene are selected and a reporter gene encoding a
gene product serving as an index of the gene expression. In the present invention,

preferable examples of such a selection marker gene include, but are not limited to,
a neomycin resistance gene, a thymidine kinase gene, a kanamycin resistance gene,
a pyrithiamine resistance gene, an adenylyl transferase gene, a Zeocin resistance
gene, and a puromycin resistance gene. In the present invention, preferable
examples of a reporter gene include, but are not limited to, a transposon Tn9-derived
chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, an Escherichia coli-derived β
glucuronidase or β galactosidase gene, a luciferase gene, a green fluorescent protein
gene, a jellyfish-derived aequorin gene, and a secreted placental alkaline
phosphatase (SEAP) gene.
[0054]
The term "IRES sequence" in the present invention refers to an internal
ribosome-entry site capable of causing a ribosome to bind internally to RNA so as to
initiate translation. Preferable examples of such an IRES sequence in the present
invention include, but are not limited to, EMCV IRES (internal ribosome-entry site
of encephalomyocarditis virus), FMDV IRES, and HCV IRES.
[0055]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention, such as mutant HCV
replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA may be a nucleic acid comprising an HCV
subgenomic replicon sequence which comprises, as an HCV-derived sequence, only
a 5' untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein coding
region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an NS5B
protein coding region, and a 3' untranslated region of the hepatitis C virus genome.
In the present invention, the term "HCV subgenome" refers to a partial sequence of
the HCV full-length genome. HCV subgenomic replicon RNA is replicon RNA
that comprises an HCV subgenome, but comprises not all regions ranging from 5'
UTR to 3' UTR of the HCV full-length genome.
[0056]
An example of a nucleic acid comprising an HCV subgenomic replicon
sequence is RNA wherein, in the 5' to 3' direction, 5' UTR, a sequence comprising
36 nucleotides from the 5' terminus of a Core coding region, a luciferase gene
(marker gene), an encephalomyocarditis virus IRES sequence, an NS3 region, an
NS4A region, an NS4B region, an NS5A region, an NS5B region, and 3' UTR are
ligated in this order, for example.

[0057]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention such as mutant HCV
replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA may also be HCV full-genomic replicon
RNA. The term "HCV full-genomic replicon RNA" refers to replicon RNA
comprising all regions ranging from 5' UTR to 3' UTR of the HCV full-length
genome, specifically, 5' UTR, a Core protein coding region (Core region), an E1
protein coding region (E1 region), an E2 protein coding region (E2 region), a p7
protein coding region (p7 region), an NS2 protein coding region (NS2 region), an
NS3 protein coding region (NS3 region), an NS4A protein coding region (NS4A
region), an NS4B protein coding region (NS4B region), an NS5A protein coding
region (NS5A region), an NS5B protein coding region (NS5B region), and 3' UTR.
HCV full-genomic replicon RNA may consist of the HCV full-length genome
sequence or may further comprise an additional sequence. In the present invention,
the term "HCV full-length genome" or "full-length HCV genome" refers to RNA
comprising the full-length sequence (ranging from 5' UTR to 3' UTR) of the HCV
genome or DNA encoding the RNA.
[0058]
(2) Preparation of replicon RNA according to the present invention
The mutant HCV replicon RNA according to the present invention,
specifically, the mutant HCV subgenomic replicon RNA or the mutant HCV full-
genomic replicon RNA can be prepared by preparing a replicon RNA expression
vector by any genetic engineering technique known by persons skilled in the art
using DNA encoding the mutant HCV replicon RNA and then using it as a template.
The present invention also provides a vector and particularly an expression vector
comprising a nucleic acid (preferably, DNA encoding mutant HCV replicon RNA)
such as mutant HCV replicon RNA, DNA encoding the RNA, or the like, which is
operably ligated downstream of a promoter. The expression vector can be used to
efficiently synthesize in vitro the mutant HCV replicon RNA. Basic techniques for
construction of the replicon RNA expression vector according to the present
invention are as described in the document of Lohmann et al. (Science, 285: 110-
113, 1999) and the document of Kato et al. (Gastroenterology, 125: 1808-1817,
2003).
[0059]

As an HCV strain that can be used for preparation of the nucleic acid
according to the present invention, any strain isolated from an HCV patient or a
derivative strain thereof can be used. An HCV strain isolated from a fulminant
hepatitis C patient is more preferably used. A method for isolation of the HCV
genome from a patient is as described in the document of Kato et al
(Gastroenterology, 125: 1808-1817, 2003). In the present invention, the term
"derivative strain " in the context of HCV refers to a strain derived from a viral
strain of interest.
[0060]
The genome of any hepatitis C virus strain can be used for preparation of
the nucleic acid according to the present invention. At least one genome of
hepatitis C virus of genotype 2a is preferably used. Regions encoding the NS3
protein, the NS4A protein, the NS4B protein, the NS5A protein, and the NS5B
protein may be derived from any hepatitis C virus genome. More preferably, such
regions from the genome of hepatitis C virus of genotype 2a are used. Further
preferably, a sequence from the genome of the HCV JFH-2.1 or HCV JFH-2.3 strain,
a derivative strain of the strains, or the HCV JFH-1 strain, into which the above
amino acid substitution(s) is introduced, is used.
[0061]
The nucleic acid according to the present invention may be a chimera from
the genome of one, two, or more types of arbitrary hepatitis C virus. The nucleic
acid according to the present invention may be, but is not limited to, a chimera in
which at least one genome of hepatitis C virus of genotype 2a is used. For
preparation of the nucleic acid according to the present invention, the genome of the
HCV JFH-1 strain, J6CF strain, HCV JFH-2.1 strain, HCV JFH-2.3 strain, or a
derivative strain of these strains can be used, for example.
[0062]
The mutant HCV replicon RNA according to the present invention can be
prepared by the following method, for example, but the method is not limited
thereto. First, DNA encoding the above mutant HCV replicon RNA is ligated by a
conventional method downstream of an RNA promoter in a vector, so that a DNA
clone is prepared. Examples of an RNA promoter include, but are not limited to, a
T7 promoter, an SP6 promoter, and a T3 promoter. A T7 promoter is particularly

preferable. As a vector, pUC19 (TaKaRa), pBR322(TaKaRa), pGEM-3Z
(Promega), pSP72 (Promega), pCRII (Invitrogen), pT7Blue (Novagen), or the like
can be used, but the examples are not limited to them.
[0063]
Preparation (synthesis) of mutant HCV replicon RNA from an expression
vector comprising DNA encoding the mutant HCV replicon RNA can be carried out
using a MEGA script T7 kit (Ambion) or the like, for example. Furthermore, when
a vector is introduced into cells for expression, a vector comprising RNA
polymerase I promoter and terminator (described in WO2007-037428 (HCV#9)) is
preferably used.
[0064]
The thus prepared mutant HCV replicon RNA may be extracted and
purified by an RNA extraction method, purification method, or the like known by
persons skilled in the art.
[0065]
(3) Preparation of transformed cells comprising self-replicating mutant HCV
replicon RNA
The above-prepared replicon RNA such as mutant HCV replicon RNA is
introduced into host cells, so that transformed cells comprising self-replicating
replicon RNA can be obtained. The present invention also provides transformed
cells obtained via introduction of mutant HCV replicon RNA into the cells, in which
the replicon RNA self-replicates.
[0066]
Cells into which replicon RNA is introduced may be any cells that enable
HCV replicon replication. Such cells are more preferably human liver-derived
cells, human uterine cervix-derived cells or human embryonic kidney-derived cells.
Examples of such cells include Huh7 cells, HepG2 cells, IMY-N9 cells, HeLa cells,
and 293 cells. Further appropriate examples of such cells include derivative strains
of Huh7 cells such as Huh7.5 cells and Huh7.5.1 cells. Also, cells such as Huh7
cells, HepG2 cells, IMY-N9 cells, HeLa cells or 293 cells, in which a CD81 gene
and/or a Claudin 1 gene is expressed, are also examples of such cells. Of these
cells, Huh7 cells or derivative cells of Huh7 cells are preferably used.
[0067]

Replicon RNA can be introduced into cells using any technique known by
persons skilled in the art. Examples of such a technique include calcium phosphate
coprecipitation, a DEAE dextran method, lipofection, microinjection, and
electroporation. Preferably, lipofection and electroporation are carried out. More
preferably, a method based on electroporation is particularly preferably carried out.
[0068]
Regarding replicon RNA, target replicon RNA alone may be introduced or
target replicon RNA mixed with another nucleic acid may also be introduced. To
vary the amount of replicon RNA while keeping the amount of RNA to be
introduced at a constant level, target replicon RNA is mixed with total cellular RNA
extracted from cells to be used for introduction and then the mixture is introduced
into the cells. The amount of replicon RNA to be introduced into cells may be
determined depending on an introduction method to be employed. The amount of
replicon RNA to be used herein ranges from preferably 1 picogram to 100
micrograms and more preferably 10 picograms to 10 micrograms.
[0069]
When replicon RNA comprising a marker gene is used, cells in which
replicon RNA has been introduced and is self-replicating can be selected using the
expression of the marker gene.
[0070]
Viable cells can be cloned by a conventional method from colonies
formed after introduction into cells and culturing the cells. In such a manner, cell
clones comprising self-replicating replicon RNA can be established.
[0071]
The thus established cell clones are preferably actually confirmed for
self-replication of replicon RNA by detecting the replication of replicon RNA from
the introduced replicon RNA in the cells, confirming the expression of a marker
gene in replicon RNA, or confirming the expression of an HCV protein (e.g., Core),
for example. Expression of an HCV protein can be confirmed by reacting an
antibody against an HCV protein to be expressed from the introduced replicon RNA
with a protein extracted from cell clones. This method can be carried out by any
protein detection method known by persons skilled in the art. Specifically, for
example, the method can be carried out by blotting a protein sample extracted from

cell clones to nitrocellulose membrane, reacting an anti-HCV protein antibody (e.g.,
an anti-Core-specific antibody or antiserum collected from a hepatitis C patient)
with the membrane, and then detecting the anti-HCV protein antibody. If an HCV
protein is detected from proteins extracted from cell clones, it can be concluded that
HCV-derived replicon RNA self-replicates and the HCV protein is expressed in the
cell clones. The thus established and preferably confirmed cell clones are
transformed cells obtained by introduction of the replicon RNA according to the
present invention.
[0072]
As a method for evaluation of the replication capacity of replicon RNA in
transformed cells, the functions of a foreign gene ligated into HCV subgenomic
replicon RNA or HCV full-genomic replicon RNA can be measured. When a
foreign gene is a drug resistance gene, evaluation can be made by determining the
number of cells or the number of colonies of cells that grow in drug-containing
selective medium. Also, when a foreign gene is an enzyme gene, replication
capacity can be evaluated by measuring the enzyme activity. As another method,
replication capacity can be evaluated by quantitatively determining the amount of
RNA replicated by quantitative PCR.
[0073]
It has been demonstrated that efficient replication of an HCV genome
requires the occurrence of mutation in the nucleotide sequence of the HCV genome
(Lohmann, V et al., J. Virol., 75: 1437-1449, 2001). Mutation that improves
replication is referred to as adaptive mutation. The mutant HCV replicon RNA
according to the present invention is replicon RNA with significantly enhanced self-
replication. Through continuation of culture, adaptive mutation takes place in
HCV replicon RNA and replication may be significantly improved. Amino acid
substitution A(2218)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID
NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence leads to such significant
enhancement in replication capacity.
[0074]
(4) Production of infectious HCV particles
In the present invention, transformed cells obtained by introduction of the
HCV replicon RNA according to the present invention are subcultured, so that

infectious HCV particles can be produced and preferably released into medium.
Herein, the HCV replicon RNA according to the present invention is a replicon RNA
that comprises an HCV structural region in addition to a 5' untranslated region,
sequences encoding an NS3 protein, an NS4A protein, an NS4B protein, an NS5A
protein, and an NS5B protein, respectively, and a 3' untranslated region of a
hepatitis C virus genome. Specifically, the HCV replicon RNA is:
a nucleic acid that further comprises a Core protein coding region, an E1 protein
coding region, an E2 protein coding region, and a p7 protein coding region of the
hepatitis C virus genome in addition to a 5' untranslated region, sequences encoding
an NS3 protein, an NS4A protein, an NS4B protein, an NS5A protein, and an NS5B
protein, respectively, and a 3' untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus genome;
a nucleic acid (HCV full-genomic replicon RNA) that further comprises a Core
protein coding region, an El protein coding region, an E2 protein coding region, a
p7 protein coding region, and an NS2 protein coding region in addition to a 5'
untranslated region, sequences encoding an NS3 protein, an NS4A protein, an NS4B
protein, an NS5A protein, and an NS5B protein, respectively, and a 3' untranslated
region of a hepatitis C virus genome; or
a nucleic acid that comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or
13 in the Sequence Listing, or
a nucleic acid that comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid
sequence with one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group
consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2195)T, A(2218)S,
H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid
sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence,
in the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 6 in the Sequence Listing.
[0075]
Typical examples of the transformed cells according to the present
invention capable of producing infectious HCV particles include full-length
chimeric replicon RNA and transformed cells into which such a full-length chimeric
replicon RNA has been introduced, wherein the full-length chimeric replicon RNA
comprises the JFH-1 strain-derived 5' untranslated region; the J6CF strain-derived
Core protein coding region, E1 protein coding region, E2 protein coding region, and
p7 protein coding region; the JFH-1 strain-derived NS2 protein coding region; and

furthermore, a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence wherein one or
more and preferably any one of the above amino acid substitutions have been
introduced into the HCV JFH-2.1 strain- or HCV JFH-2.3 strain-derived NS3
protein coding region, NS4A protein coding region, NS4B protein coding region,
NS5A protein coding region, NS5B protein coding region, and 3' untranslated
region.
[0076]
The viral particle-producing capacity of such transformed cells can also
be detected using antibodies against HCV proteins (e.g., a Core protein, an El
protein, or an E2 protein) composing HCV viral particles released into medium
(culture solution). Also, the presence of HCV viral particles can also be indirectly
detected by amplifying and detecting HCV replicon RNA contained in HCV viral
particles in a culture solution by RT-PCR using specific primers.
[0077]
HCV particles produced by the above transformed cells are infectious to
cells (preferably, HCV-sensitive cells). In the present invention, the term "HCV-
sensitive cells" refers to cells that are infected with HCV. Such HCV-sensitive
cells are preferably hepatic cells or lymphoid lineage cells, but the examples are not
limited to them. Specific examples of hepatic cells include primary hepatic cells,
Huh7 cells, HepG2 cells, IMY-N9 cells, HeLa cells, and 293 cells. Specific
examples of lymphoid lineage cells include Molt4 cells, HPB-Ma cells, and Daudi
cells. However, the examples are not limited to these cells.
[0078]
Whether or not the prepared HCV particles are infectious can be
determined by treating HCV permissive cells (e.g., Huh-7) using a culture
supernatant obtained by culturing the above transformed cells (into which HCV
replicon RNA has been introduced), immunostaining the cells after a given time
period (e.g., after 48 hours) with an anti-Core antibody, and then determining the
number of infected cells. Alternatively, determination can be made by subjecting a
cell extract to electrophoresis on SDS-polyacrylamide gel, detecting the Core
protein by Western blotting, and thus detecting infected cells.
[0079]
The present invention also relates to a method for preparing HCV particles

by culturing the above transformed cells capable of producing infectious HCV
particles and then preferably obtaining (e.g., collecting a culture supernatant) HCV
particles released into medium (preferably, culture solution). The present
invention provides HCV particles obtained by the method and preferably infectious
HCV particles. The HCV particles also infect HCV-sensitive animals such as
chimpanzees, so as to be able to induce HCV-derived hepatitis.
[0080]
(5) Use of subgenomic replicon RNA
Transformed cells into which the HCV subgenomic replicon RNA
according to the present invention has been introduced can be used for screening for
a compound that inhibits the replication of the HCV subgenomic replicon RNA.
[0081]
More specifically, for example, RNA in which, in the 5' to 3' direction, 5'
UTR, a sequence ranging from the 5' terminus to nucleotide 36 of a Core coding
region, a luciferase gene (marker gene), an encephalomyocarditis virus IRES
sequence, an NS3 region, an NS4A region, an NS4B region, an NS5A region, and an
NS5B region, and 3' UTR are ligated in this order is introduced into Huh7 cells.
Subsequently, the cells are treated with a compound to be screened. After 48 to 72
hours, luciferase activity is measured. A compound that suppresses luciferase
activity compared with a group not treated with the compound is considered to have
effects of suppressing the replication of the HCV subgenomic replicon RNA.
Accordingly, it can also be determined that which compound may have the activity
of suppressing replication on HCV of the same genotype as that of an HCV strain
from which the replicon RNA or particularly the NS3-to-NS5B regions are derived
or on HCV that is observed in a patient or the like with an HCV-related disease from
which the relevant HCV strain has been isolated.
[0082]
(6) Use of HCV particles
The HCV particles of the present invention can also be used for screening
for an antibody or a compound inhibiting HCV infection.
[0083]
The HCV particles according to the present invention are also preferably
used as vaccines or antigens for preparation of anti-HCV antibodies.

[0084]
Specifically, the HCV particles according to the present invention can be
used as vaccines without modification. The HCV particles can also be attenuated
or inactivated via a method known in the art and then used. The virus can be
inactivated by adding and mixing an inactivator such as formalin, P-propiolactone,
or glutardialdehyde with, for example, a virus suspension and allowing the
inactivator to react with the virus (Appaiahgari, M. B. & Vrati, S., Vaccine, 22:
3669-3675, 2004).
[0085]
The vaccine can be formulated into a dosage form that can be admi
nistered, such as a solution or suspension. The vaccine can be prepared in a
solid state that is suitable for dissolution or suspension it in a solution. Alt
ernatively, such a preparation can be emulsified or encapsulated in liposomes.
Active immunogenic ingredients, such as HCV particles, are often mixed wi
th excipients that are pharmaceutically acceptable and compatible with the acti
ve ingredients to be used herein. Examples of adequate excipients include w
ater, physiological saline, dextrose, glycerol, ethanol, and a mixture thereof.
Further, the vaccine can contain a minor amount of an auxiliary agent (e.g., a
humidifier or an emulsifier), a pH buffer, and/or an adjuvant that enhances v
accine efficacy. Examples of the effective adjuvant include, but are not limit
ed to, aluminum hydroxide, N-acetyl-muramyl-L-threonyl-D-isoglutamine (thr-M
DP), N-acetyl-nor-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (referred to as CGP11637,
nor-MDP), N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutaminyl-L-alanine-2-(1'-2'-dipalmito
yl-sn-glycero-3-hydroxyphosphoryloxy)-ethylamine (referred to as CGP19835A,
MTP-PE), and RIBI. RIBI comprises three components extracted from bacteri
a; i.e. monophosphoryl lipid A, trehalose dimycolate, and a cell wall skeleton
(HPL+TDM+CWS), in 2% squalene/Tween(R) 80 emulsion. Effects of an adj
uvant can be determined by measuring the amount of antibodies resulting fro
m administration of a vaccine comprising HCV particles.
[0086]
The vaccine is generally administered parenterally, by injection such as
subcutaneous injection or intramuscular injection, for example. Examples of other
formulations that are suitable as other forms of dosage include suppositories and

oral preparations.
[0087]
One or more compounds having adjuvant activity can be added to an HCV
vaccine. An adjuvant is a non-specific stimulant to the immune system. Such
substance enhances the immune response of a host against HCV vaccines. Specific
examples of adjuvants that are known in the art include Freund's complete and
incomplete adjuvants, vitamin E, a nonionic block polymer, muramyl dipeptide,
saponin, mineral oil, vegetable oil, and Carbopol. Examples of adjuvants
particularly suitable for transmucosal administration include E. coli heat-labile toxin
(LT) and cholera toxin (CT). Examples of other adequate adjuvants include
aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate or aluminum oxide, an oil emulsion (e.g.,
Bayol(R) or Marcol 5(R)), saponin, and a vitamin E solubilizate. Accordingly, the
vaccine of a preferable embodiment of the present invention comprises an adjuvant.
[0088]
Concerning an injectable solution for subcutaneous, intracutaneous,
intramuscular, or intravenous administration, other specific examples of a
pharamaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent that is used for administration in
combination with the HCV vaccine of the present invention in the injectable
solution include a stabilizer, a carbohydrate (e.g., sorbitol, mannitol, starch, sucrose,
glucose, or dextran), a protein (e.g., albumin or casein), a protein-containing
substance (e.g., bovine serum or skimmed milk), and buffer (e.g., phosphate buffer).
[0089]
Examples of conventional binders and carriers that are used for
suppositories can include polyalkylene glycol and triglyceride. Such a suppository
can be prepared from a mixture comprising 0.5% to 50%, and preferably 1% to 20%
active ingredients. Oral preparations comprise excipients that are generally used.
Examples of excipients include mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate,
saccharin sodium, cellulose, and magnesium carbonate of pharmaceutical grade.
[0090]
The vaccine of the present invention can be in the form of a solution,
suspension, tablet, pill, capsule, sustained-release preparation, or powder, and its
active ingredients (viral particles or a part thereof) account for 10% to 95%, and
preferably 25% to 70% thereof.

[0091]
The vaccine of the present invention is administered in a manner suitable
for a dosage form and in an amount that can exert preventive and/or therapeutic
effects. The amount to be administered generally ranges from 0.01 µg to 100,000
µg of an antigen per dose. Such amount varies depending on the patient to be
treated, the capacity of the patient for antibody synthesis in the immune system, and
the desired degree of protection. Also, the amount varies depending on the route
of administration, such as oral, subcutaneous, intracutaneous, intramuscular, or
intravenous administration.
[0092]
The vaccine of the present invention can be administered according to a
single-administration schedule, and preferably according to a multiple-
administration schedule. In the case of a multiple-administration schedule, 1 to 10
separate administrations are performed at the time of initiation of vaccine
inoculation, and another administration can then be performed with a time interval
that is necessary for maintaining or enhancing the immune response. For example,
the second administration can be performed 1 to 4 months after the first. Where
needed, administration may be subsequently performed several months after the
first. The administration regimen is, at least partially, determined according to the
needs of individual patient, and the regimen depends on the judgment made by a
doctor.
[0093]
Further, the vaccine comprising the HCV particles of the present invention
may be administered with another immunological agent (e.g., immunoglobulin).
[0094]
Further, the HCV particle vaccine of the present invention can be used
preventively against possible new HCV infection via administration to healthy
individuals to induce immune response to HCV. The HCV particle vaccine of the
present invention can also be used as a therapeutic vaccine to induce strong immune
response to HCV in vivo to eliminate HCV via administration to patients infected
with HCV, via administration to patients infected with HCV.
[0095]
The HCV particles of the present invention are also useful as antigens to

be used for preparing anti-HCV antibodies. HCV particles to be used as antigens
desirably have higher purity. Cells or cell debris are removed from a culture
solution containing HCV particles by centrifugation and/or using a filter or the like.
Such a solution from which cell debris has been removed can also be concentrated
about 10- to 100-fold using ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cut
off ranging from 100,000 to 500,000. Such a solution containing HCV particles,
from which cell debris has been removed, can be purified by chromatography (e.g.,
gel filtration chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, and affinity
chromatography) and density-gradient centrifugation in combination in any order or
alone.
[0096]
(7) Antibodies against HCV particles
The present invention also provides antibodies against HCV particles
obtained in (4) above. Preferable examples of such an antibody include
particularly antibodies against HCV particles having the structural proteins (Core,
E1, E2, and p7) of the JFH-2.1 or JFH-2.3 strain. More specifically, examples of
antibodies against HCV particles having the structural proteins (Core, E1, E2, and
p7) of the JFH-2.3 strain are antibodies against HCV particles produced by
transformed cells that are obtained by introducing the HCV replicon RNA encoding:
the amino acid sequence ranging from amino acid positions 1 to 191 of SEQ ID NO:
6 in the Sequence Listing as a Core protein; the amino acid sequence ranging from
amino acid positions 192 to 384 of the same as an E1 protein; the amino acid
sequence ranging from amino acid positions 385 to 751 of the same as an E2
protein; and the amino acid sequence ranging from amino acid positions 752 to 814
as a p7 protein.
[0097]
Antibodies can be prepared by administering the HCV particles of the
present invention to mammalians or birds. Examples of mammalians include mice,
rats, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, cattle, guinea pigs, dromedaries, bactrian camels,
and lamas. Dromedaries, bactrian camels, and lamas are suitable for preparing an
antibody consisting of the H chain alone. Examples of birds include chickens,
geese and ostriches. The blood serum may be taken from an animal to which the
HCV particles of the present invention have been administered and then antibodies

can be obtained therefrom by well-known methods.
[0098]
Hybridomas that produce monoclonal antibody-producing cells can be
prepared with the use of cells of the animals immunized with the HCV particles of
the present invention. Methods for producing hybridomas are well-known in the
art, and the method described in, for example, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual
(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1988) can be employed.
[0099]
Monoclonal antibody-producing cells may be prepared via cell fusion or
via other methods involving introduction of DNA of a cancer gene or infection with
Epstein-Barr virus for immortalization of B lymphocytes.
[0100]
More specifically, procedures for preparing an anti-HCV monoclonal
antibody by administering HCV particles to mice are as described below.
Generally 4- to 10-week-old mice are immunized with HCV particles as antigens,
but a purification step may be omitted if necessary. Immunization is generally
carried out by administering an antigen several times subcutaneously or
intraperitoneally with an adjuvant. Examples of such an adjuvant include, but are
not limited to, Freund's complete and incomplete adjuvants, aluminium hydroxide
gel, Hemophilus pertussis vaccine, Titer Max Gold (Vaxel), and GERBU adjuvant
(GERBU Biotechnik). Final immunization is carried out by administering HCV
particles intravenously or intraperitoneally without administering any adjuvant.
On days 3 to 10 after the final immunization with HCV particles and preferably on
day 4, the spleen was excised from an immunized mouse according to a known
method (Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1988).
[0101]
A method that is employed herein involves preparation of spleen cells from
the spleen and fusion of spleen cells to myeloma cells, so as to prepare hybridoma
cells producing a monoclonal antibody. As myeloma cells to be used for cell
fusion, any myeloma cells may be used, as long as they are replicable in vitro.
Examples of such myeloma cells include mouse-derived established cell lines such
as 8-azaguanine resistant mouse (BALB/c-derived) myeloma cell lines (e.g., P3-
X63Ag8-Ul(P3-Ul), SP2/0-Agl4(SP2/0), P3-X63-Ag8653(653), P3-X63-

Ag8(X63), and P3/NS1/1-Ag4-l(NSl)). These cell lines are available from the
RIKEN BioResource Center, ATCC (American Type Culture Collection), or ECACC
(European Collection of Cell Cultures). Culture and subculture are carried out
according to known methods (Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory, 1988, Selected Methods in Cellular Immunology W.H. Freeman and
Company, 1980).
[0102]
The thus obtained spleen cells and myeloma cells are washed and then
mixed at a ratio of 1 (myeloma cells) : 1-10 (spleen cells), followed by cell fusion
reaction. As a fusion accelerator, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, or the
like with an average molecular weight ranging from 1000 to 6000 can be used.
Also, cells can also be fused using a commercially available cell fusion apparatus
using electrical stimulation (e.g., electroporation).
[0103]
After cell fusion, cells are suspended in medium and then washed. Cells
are washed using medium used for culturing myeloma cells, such as Dulbecco's
modified Eagle's medium or RPMI-1640 medium. Medium for culturing fused
cells is supplemented with a HAT supplement in order to selectively obtain only
target fused cells. Limiting dilution (after dilution to 10 to 10 cells/ml, cells are
seeded into a 96-well cell culture microplate at 10 to 10 cells/well) or cloning is
carried out by a colony formation method in methylcellulose medium.
[0104]
Hybridomas can be screened for by a general method and the method is not
particularly limited. For example, a portion of the culture supernatant is collected,
the supernatant is added to an immobilized HCV protein, and then a labeled
secondary antibody is added for incubation. The binding ability may be measured
by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or radioimmunoassay (RIA) or
subjected to dot blot analysis or western blot analysis. A hybridoma line
confirmed to produce an antibody that reacts with a target antigen is selected as a
hybridoma line producing a monoclonal antibody.
[0105]
Moreover, hybridomas producing an anti-HCV monoclonal antibody having
activity of inhibiting HCV infection can be selected by a method for measuring the

activity of inhibiting HCV infection using infectious HCV particles as described in
the following example.
[0106]
First, infectious HCV particles (the method for preparing HCV particles is
as described above) and an antibody sample are mixed and then allowed to react at
37°C for 1 hour. The sample (50 ul) is added to Huh7 cells cultured on the day
before mixing, in a 96-well plate at 5 x 103 cells/well and then cells are cultured at
37°C for 2.5 hours. After culture, the sample is removed, cells are washed with
PBS, fresh medium is added, and then cells are cultured continuously. After 48
hours, the culture supernatant is removed, the resultant is washed once with PBS,
100 µl of ISOGEN (Nippon Gene) is added, and then RNA is prepared from the
cells. After quantification of RNA, the amount of HCV genomic RNA is measured.
Detection of HCV RNA by quantitative RT-PCR is carried out by detecting the RNA
of the 5' untranslated region of HCV RNA according to the method of Takeuchi et
al. (Takeuchi T. et al., Gastroenterology, 116: 636-642, 1999).
[0107]
Another method for evaluating the activity of inhibiting HCV infection is
as follows. First, an antibody sample and infectious HCV particles are mixed and
then allowed to react at 37°C for 1 hour. Next, 50 ul of the above sample is added
to Huh-7 cells cultured on the day before mixing in a 96-well plate at 1 x 104
cells/well and then cells are cultured at 37°C for 2.5 hours. After culture, the
sample is removed, cells are washed with PBS, fresh medium is added, and then
cells are continuously cultured. After 72 hours, the culture supernatant is removed,
and then the plate is placed in ice-cooled methanol, so that cells are immobilized.
Subsequently, methanol is removed by air drying and then cells are solubilized using
BlockAce(R) (Dainippon Pharmaceutical) containing 0.3% Triton(R)-X 100 (GE
Healthcare). HCV-infected cells are counted under fluorescence microscopy
(Olympus Corporation, IX-70) using a clone 2H9 anti-HCV-Core antibody (see Nat
Med. (2005) 11: p791-6.) and goat anti-mouse IgG-Alexa488 (Molecular Probes).
Samples in wells in which HCV infection has been inhibited are confirmed to be
positive clones, so that target hybridomas can be selected. A monoclonal antibody
that is produced by hybridomas selected as described above is a preferred
embodiment of the antibody of the present invention.

[0108]
The monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies obtained by such techniques are
useful for diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of HCV. If an antibody is from an
animal, a chimeric antibody formed with a human antibody can be prepared. A
particularly preferable chimeric antibody is a humanized antibody (human-type
antibody) or the like prepared by transplanting the sequence of a hypervariable site
of a mouse antibody into a human antibody. Such a humanized antibody is
particularly useful for therapy or prevention of HCV.
[0109]
The antibodies prepared with the use of the HCV particles of the present
invention may be administered with pharmaceutically acceptable solubilizers,
additives, stabilizers, buffers, or the like. Such antibodies may be administered via
any route. Subcutaneous, intracutaneous, or intramuscular administration is
preferable, and intravenous administration is more preferable.
[0110]
The present invention can be performed using molecular biological and
immunological techniques within the general technical scope of the relevant field.
Such techniques are sufficiently explained in various documents including known
experimental protocols and the like. For example, such techniques are described in
detail in Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (vol. 3, 2001),
Ed Harlow et al., Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual (1988).
[0111]
(8) Short time production of HCV viral particles using mutant HCV RNA-
replicating cells
The nucleic acid according to the present invention, such as the mutant
HCV replicon RNA or DNA encoding the mutant RNA, and preferably nucleic acids
such as chimeric mutant HCV replicon RNAs derived from 2 or more HCV strains
or DNAs encoding the RNAs may further comprise nucleotide substitutions that
cause amino acid substitutions.
[0112]
In an embodiment, a nucleic acid such as mutant HCV replicon RNA that
is a chimera of the HCV J6 strain and the HCV JFH-2.1 strain or DNA encoding the
RNA and preferably J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S RNA that is chimeric mutant HCV replicon

RNA having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or DNA encoding
the RNA may comprise a nucleotide substitution that causes substitution of 1 or 2 or
more amino acids and particularly preferably 7 or more amino acids. The amino
acid substitutions may be, but is not limited to, at least 1, preferably 2 or more,
further preferably 3 or 4 or more, and particularly preferably 7 or 8 amino acid
substitutions selected from the group consisting of A→T at position 148 (Core
region), M→V at position 356 (E1 region), M→K at position 405, N→T at position
417 and V→G at position 626 (E2 region), M→T at position 868 (NS2 region),
T→A at position 1642 (NS3 region), I→V at position 1687 (NS4A region), I→V at
position 1722 and K→R at position 1767 (NS4B region), S→G at position 2204 and
C→S at position 2219 (NS5A region), T→I at position 2695 and L→P at position
3016 (NS5B region), as defined using the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 88) of
the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S RNA as a reference sequence.
For example, J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S RNA or DNA encoding the RNA may have
nucleotide substitutions that cause 2 or more (preferably 3 or 4 or more), for
example, or all the 7 amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of
M→K at position 405, N→T at position 417, M→T at position 868, T→A at
position 1642, I→V at position 1722, S→G at position 2204, and T→I at position
2695. Alternatively, J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S RNA or DNA encoding the RNA may
have nucleotide substitutions that cause 2 or more (preferably 3 or 4 or more), for
example, all the 8 amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of
A→T at position 148, M→V at position 356, V→G at position 626, I→V at position
1687, K→R at position 1767, C→S at position 2219, T→I at position 2695, and
L→P at position 3016. Cells, into which the RNA of a multiple mutant replicon
having a nucleotide substitution that causes such an additional amino acid
substitution (e.g., a mutant HCV replicon that is a chimera of the HCV J6 strain
with the HCV JFH-2.1 strain or the JFH-2.3 strain) or DNA encoding the RNA has
been introduced, initiate the production of viral particles relatively immediately
after the initiation of replication, and then can stably produce viral particles in large
amounts for dozens of days (e.g., 40 days). Therefore, if such a mutant replicon is
used, viral particles can be produced in large amounts within a short period after the
initiation of replication. The present invention also provides such advantageous
multiple mutant HCV replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA. The present

invention also provides an expression vector comprising the DNA that encodes the
multiple mutant HCV replicon RNA and recombinant cells into which the vector has
been introduced. The present invention also provides cells into which the multiple
mutant replicon RNA has been introduced. As the cells according to the present
invention, into which such a multiple mutant replicon is introduced, hepatic cell-
derived cells or lymphoid lineage cells can be used, for example. Examples of
hepatic cell-derived cells include, but are not limited to, Huh7 cells, Huh7 cells,
HepG2 cells, IMY-N9 cells, HeLa cells, and 293 cells. Examples of lymphoid
lineage cells include, but are not limited to, Molt4 cells, HPB-Ma cells, and Daudi
cells.
[0113]
Cells into which the multiple mutant replicon has been introduced are
cultured for a relatively short time period, so that viral particles can be efficiently
produced in large amounts. The culture period may be 1 or more days, more
preferably 2 or more days, even more preferably 3 or more days, further preferably 5
or more days, and particularly preferably 10 or more days from the initiation of
culture, for example. The culture period may be 60 or less days, more preferably
50 or less days, even more preferably 40 or less days, further preferably 30 or less
days, and particularly preferably 20 or less days from the initiation of culture.
Whereas cells into which an HCV replicon has been introduced are generally known
to tend to drastically decrease once their production amount of viral particles from
the early to the middle periods after the initiation of replication, the cells according
to the present invention into which the multiple mutant HCV replicon has been
introduced is very advantageous in that they can stably produce viral particles in
large amounts within a short time period. The present invention also provides a
method for producing HCV viral particles using cells according to the present
invention into which the multiple mutant replicon RNA or DNA encoding the RNA
has been introduced.
[0114]
(9) Summary of sequences
In addition, sequences specified by SEQ ID NOS: in the present application
are summarized as follows.
[0115]

SEQ ID NO: 1: nucleotide sequence containing the portion ranging from T7
promoter to 3' UTR in recombinant plasmid pSGR-JFH-2.1
SEQ ID NO: 2: nucleotide sequence containing the portion ranging from T7
promoter to 3' UTR in recombinant plasmid pSGR-JFH-2.3
SEQ ID NO: 3: full-length genome sequence (nucleotide sequence encoding full-
length genomic RNA) of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain
SEQ ID NO: 4: full-length genome sequence (nucleotide sequence encoding full-
length genomic RNA) of the HCV JFH-2.3 strain
SEQ ID NO: 5: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein of the HCV JFH-2.1
strain
SEQ ID NO: 6: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein of the HCV JFH-2.3
strain
SEQ ID NO: 7: nucleotide sequence of the structural region (containing Core, E1,
E2, and p7) of the HCV J6CF strain
SEQ ID NO: 8: nucleotide sequence of 5' UTR of the HCV JFH-1 strain
SEQ ID NO: 9: nucleotide sequence of the NS2 region of the HCV JFH-1 strain
SEQ ID NO: 10: sequence ranging from the NS3 region to the 3' UTR (containing
NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B regions and 3' UTR) of the HCV JFH-2.1
strain
SEQ ID NO: 11: nucleotide sequence of chimeric HCV genome sequence J6/JFH-
2.1
SEQ ID NO: 12: nucleotide sequence of chimeric HCV genome sequence J6/JFH-
2.1A2217S
SEQ ID NO: 13: nucleotide sequence of mutant HCV genome sequence JFH-2.1
A2218S
SEQ ID NO: 14: amino acid sequence of the NS3-to-NS5B regions of the precursor
protein of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain
SEQ ID NO: 15: amino acid sequence of the NS3-to-NS5B regions of the precursor
protein of the HCV JFH-2.3 strain
SEQ ID NOS: 16-77: primers
SEQ ID NO: 78: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S(CS)
SEQ ID NO: 79: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence

J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S(LP)
SEQ ID NO: 80: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S(TI)
SEQ ID NO: 81: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 82: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI)
SEQ ID NO: 83: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 84: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 85: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 86: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA)
SEQ ID NO: 87: nucleotide sequence of mutant chimeric HCV genome sequence
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR)
SEQ ID NO: 88: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S
SEQ ID NO: 89: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S(CS)
SEQ ID NO: 90: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S(LP)
SEQ ID NO: 91: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S(TI)
SEQ ID NO: 92: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (CS/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 93: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (CS/TI)
SEQ ID NO: 94: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (TI/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 95: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (CS/TI/LP)

SEQ ID NO: 96: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP)
SEQ ID NO: 97: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA)
SEQ ID NO: 98: amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-
2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR)
All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[Examples]
[0116]
The present invention is further illustrated with reference to the following
examples. However, these examples do not limit the technical scope of the present
invention.
[0117]
(Example 1) Construction of JFH-2.1 strain- and JFH-2.3 strain-derived HCV
subgenomic replicon RNA expression vectors
HCV subgenomic replicon RNA expression vectors, plasmid pSGR-JFH-
2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3, were separately constructed using nonstructural region of
the full-length genome clone DNA of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain and JFH-2.3 strain of
genotype 2a isolated from fulminant hepatitis patients (Fig. 1) as follows. Fig. 1A
shows the full-length genome structure of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain and JFH-2.3
strain.
[0118]
Plasmids, pSGR-JFH-2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3, were constructed according
to the procedures described in the document of Kato et al. (Gastroenterology, 125:
1808-1817, 2003) and WO05028652A1. Specifically, first, recombinant plasmids,
pJFH-2.1 and pJFH-2.3, were provided, wherein cDNA encoding the full-length
genome of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain or JFH-2.3 strain was inserted under control of a
T7 promoter in a plasmid vector pUC19. Subsequently, structural region and
portions of nonstructural region in recombinant plasmids, pJFH-2.1 and pJFH-2.3
were substituted with a neomycin resistance gene (neo; also referred to as neomycin
phosphotransferase gene) and EMCV-IRES (encephalomyocarditis virus internal

ribosome entry site). Cleavage was carried out with restriction enzymes to excise
inserted fragments and then the fragments were cloned into recombinant vectors to
separately construct plasmids, pSGR-JFH-2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3.
[0119]
Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C show the structures of the plasmid vectors, pSGR-JFH-
2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3. In Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C, "T7" denotes a T7 promoter. The
T7 promoter is a sequence element required for expression of HCV subgenomic
replicon RNA using T7 RNA polymerase from each plasmid vector. In the plasmid
vectors, pSGR-JFH-2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3, 5' UTR, NS3-NS5B coding regions, and
3' UTR are sequences from the HCV JFH-2.1 or JFH-2.3 strain. Herein, "neo"
denotes a neomycin resistance gene and "EMCV IRES" denotes an
encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome-binding site. HCV subgenomic
replicon RNA that is expressed from these vectors is RNA transcribed from regions
downstream of the T7 promoter, as shown in Fig. ID.
[0120]
The nucleotide sequences consisting of a T7 promoter and the HCV
subgenomic replicon RNA coding region ligated downstream thereof, in pSGR-JFH-
2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3, are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2, respectively.
[0121]
In addition, the full-length genome sequences of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain
and JFH-2.3 strain used herein are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 3 and 4, respectively.
The amino acid sequences of virus precursor proteins (polyproteins) encoded by the
full-length genome sequences of the HCV JFH-2.1 and JFH-2.3 strains are shown in
SEQ ID NOS: 5 and 6, respectively. The amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID
NO: 5 is encoded by nucleotide positions 341 to 9445 (including termination codon)
of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3. The amino acid sequence shown in
SEQ ID NO: 6 is encoded by nucleotide positions 341 to 9445 (including
termination codon) of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4. Also, the amino
acid sequences of NS3-to-NS5B regions in precursor proteins of the HCV JFH-2.1
strain and JFH-2.3 strain are shown in SEQ ID NO: 14 and 15, respectively. The
amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14 (NS3-NS5B regions) corresponds to amino
acid positions 1032 to 3034 of SEQ ID NO: 5. Also, the amino acid sequence of
SEQ ID NO: 15 (NS3-NS5B regions) corresponds to amino acid positions 1032 to

3034 of SEQ ID NO: 5. Here, as shown in Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C, whereas the
sequence of amino acid positions 1205 to 1206 (in NS3 region) of the precursor
protein (SEQ ID NO: 5) of the HCV JFH-2.1 strain is alanine (A)-isoleucine (I), the
sequence of amino acid positions 1205 to 1206 (in NS3 region) of the precursor
protein (SEQ ID NO: 6) of the HCV JFH-2.3 strain is methionine (M)-leucine(L).
[0122]
(Example 2) Preparation of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA
For preparation of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA, expression vectors,
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3, constructed as described in Example 1 were
each cleaved with restriction enzyme Xba I, thereby preparing template DNA for
PCR. Subsequently, each of these Xba I cleavage fragments were incubated at
30°C for 30 minutes after addition of Mung Bean Nuclease 20 U (total volume of
reaction solution: 50 µl) to 10 µg to 20 µg of the template DNA for enzyme
treatment. Mung Bean Nuclease is an enzyme that catalyzes a reaction of
selectively degrading and blunt-ending the single-stranded portion of the double-
stranded DNA. In general, when RNA transcription is carried out with RNA
polymerase by directly using as a template the above Xba I cleavage fragment, a
replicon RNA in which extra CUGA (4 nucleotides) corresponding to a portion of
the Xba I recognition sequence has been added at the 3' terminus is synthesized.
Hence, in this Example, the Xba I cleavage fragment was treated with Mung Bean
Nuclease, so that 4 nucleotides of CUGA were removed from the Xba I cleavage
fragment.
[0123]
Next, the solution treated with Mung Bean Nuclease containing the Xba I
cleavage fragment was subjected to protein removing treatment according to a
conventional method to purify the Xba I cleavage fragment from which 4
nucleotides of CUGA had been removed for using as template DNA in the next
reaction. From the template DNA, RNA was synthesized in vitro by T7 promoter-
based transcription reaction using MEGAscript (Ambion). Specifically, 20 µl of a
reaction solution containing 0.5 µg to 1.0 µg of the template DNA was prepared
according to the manufacturer's instruction, followed by 3 to 16 hours of reaction at
37 °C.
[0124]

After completion of RNA synthesis, DNase (2U) was added to the reaction
solution for 15 minutes of reaction at 37 °C to remove the template DNA. RNA
extraction was further carried out using acid phenol, so that HCV subgenomic
replicon RNAs transcribed from pSGR-JFH-2.1 and pSGR-JFH-2.3 were obtained.
[0125]
(Example 3) Establishment of HCV subgenomic replicon-replicating cell clones
Each (1 µg) synthetic HCV subgenomic replicon RNA from the JFH-2.1
strain or the JFH-2.3 strain prepared in Example 2 was mixed with total cellular
RNA extracted from Huh7 cells by a conventional method to adjust the total amount
of RNA to 10 µg. Then, the mixed RNA was introduced into Huh7 cells by
electroporation. The electroporated Huh7 cells were seeded on a culture dish and
cultured for 16 to 24 hours, and then G418 (neomycin) was added to the culture
dish. Then, the culture was continued while replacing the culture medium twice a
week. After 21 days of culture following seeding, viable cells were stained with
crystal violet. As a result, colony formation could be confirmed as shown in Fig. 2
for cells into which replicon RNA from either the JFH-2.1 or JFH-2.3 strain had
been introduced. The colony formation indicated that a HCV subgenomic replicon
RNA had been replicated in the cells.
[0126]
Regarding the above replicon RNA-transfected cells for which colony
formation was confirmed, colonies of viable cells were further cloned from the
above culture dish after 21 days of the culture, and then the culture was continued.
A plurality of cell clone strains could be established by such colony cloning.
These resulting cell clones were designated as JFH-2.1 subgenomic replicon cells
and JFH-2.3 subgenomic replicon cells. It was considered that the introduced JFH-
2.1 strain-derived subgenomic replicon RNA or JFH-2.3 strain-derived subgenomic
replicon RNA self replicated in the thus established cell clones.
[0127]
(Example 4) Sequence analysis of replicon RNA in JFH-2.3 subgenomic replicon
cells
Sequence analysis was conducted for subgenomic replicon RNA present in
JFH-2.3 subgenomic replicon cells established in Example 3. First, total RNA was
extracted from the established 10 clones of JFH-2.3 subgenomic replicon cellsand

then HCV subgenomic replicon RNA contained therein was amplified by RT-PCR.
For the amplification, 5'-TAATACGACTCACTATAG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 16) and 5'-
GCGGCTCACGGACCTTTCAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 17) were used as primers. The
resulting amplification products were cloned into sequencing cloning vectors and
then subjected to sequence analysis by a conventional method.
[0128]
As a result, in the subgenomic replicon RNA obtained from within the
cells, nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions of 4 positions in the
NS3 region (M→K at position 1205, F→L at position 1548, C→W at position 1615,
and T→N at position 1652), 5 positions in the NS5A region (A→T at position 2196,
A→S at position 2218, H→Q at position 2223, Q→R at position 2281, and G→S at
position 2373), 1 position in the NS5B region (K→N at position 2519), that are in
the nonstructural region, were found (Fig. 3). Most of these amino acid
substitutions were present within the NS3 region or the NS5A region, as described
above. The positions of these amino acid substitutions are described based on the
full-length amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 6) of the precursor protein of the
JFH-2.3 strain. Furthermore, the amino acid substitutions at position 2218 of clone
2 and at position 2223 of clone 3 took place within the ISDR region (interferon
sensitivity determining region) (Fig. 3). In the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:
6) of the precursor protein of the JFH-2.1/2.3 strain, the ISDR region corresponds to
positions 2214 to 2249.
[0129]
(Example 5) Mutation analysis of HCV subgenome in JFH-2.3 subgenomic replicon
cells
To examine whether or not the nucleotide mutation found in Example 4
affected the replication of the subgenomic replicon RNA in cells, nucleotide
substitutions causing amino acid substitutions at 3 positions within the NS3 region
(F→L at position 1548, C→W at position 1615, and T→N at position 1652) and at 3
positions within the NS5A region (A→S at position 2218, H→Q at position 2223,
and Q→R at position 2281) were each introduced into the HCV JFH-2.1 strain-
derived subgenomic replicon RNA expression plasmid vector prepared in Example 1
(Fig. 4A).
[0130]

Specifically, first, pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 ul of 10 x
buffer and 4 ul of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA
Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 ul each of 10 uM primers EcoT7-F (5'-
CCGGAATTCTAATACGACTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 18)) and 1548FL-R (5'-
GGGCGTGTTGAGATACGCTCTAAGCCTGAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 19)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 1. Next, pSGR-
JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES)
and 1 ul each of 10 µM primers 5563-R (5'-CTGCAGCAAGCCTTGGATCT-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 20)) and 1548FL-F (5'-
TTAGAGCGTATCTCAACACGCCCGGCCTAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 21)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 2.
[0131]
Those PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O.
DNAs of PCR product No. 1 and PCR product No. 2 were mixed in amounts of 1 ul
each. The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 uM primers EcoT7-F (5'-
CCGGAATTCTAATACGACTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 18)) and 5563-R (5'-
CTGCAGCAAGCCTTGGATCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 20)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 3. The PCR product was purified and

then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0132]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No.3 were digested with the
restriction enzymes EcoR I and EcoT22 I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing an amino acid substitution F→L at
position 1548 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 F1548L.
[0133]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 ul of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 ul each of 10 uM primers EcoT7-F (5'-
CCGGAATTCTAATACGACTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 18)) and 1615CW-R (5'-
AGTCGGGCCAGCCACTTCCACATGGCGTCC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 22)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 4. Next, pSGR-
JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 ul of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES)
and 1 ul each of 10 uM primers 5563-R (5'-CTGCAGCAAGCCTTGGATCT-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 20)) and 1615CW-F (5'
ATGTGGAAGTGGCTGGCCCGACTCAAGCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 23)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 5.
[0134]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs of
PCR product No. 4 and PCR product No. 5 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl each.

The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 pM primers EcoT7-F (5'-
CCGGAATTCTAATACGACTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 18)) and 5563-R (5'-
CTGCAGCAAGCCTTGGATCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 20)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 6. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0135]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No.6 were digested with
restriction enzymes EcoR I and EcoT22 I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing an amino acid substitution C→W at
position 1615 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 C1615W.
[0136]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 pM primers EcoT7-F (5'-
CCGGAATTCTAATACGACTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 18)) and 1652TN-R (5'-
CTTGCATGCAATTGGCGATGTACTTCGTCC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 24)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 7. Next, pSGR-
JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES)
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5563-R (5'-CTGCAGCAAGCCTTGGATCT-3'

(SEQ ID NO: 20)) and 1652TN-F (5'-
GTACATCGCCAATTGCATGCAAGCTGACCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 25)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 8.
[0137]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs of
PCR product No. 7 and PCR product No. 8 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl each.
The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers EcoT7-F (5'-
CCGGAATTCTAATACGACTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 18)) and 5563-R (5'-
CTGCAGCAAGCCTTGGATCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 20)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 9. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0138]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No.9 were digested with
restriction enzymes EcoR I and EcoT22 I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing an amino acid substitution T→N at
position 1652 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 T1652N.
[0139]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3'

(SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 2196AT-R (5'-
TGATCCCCGTGTCAAGCGCCGCGCCGCAGT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 27)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 10. Next, pSGR-
JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 7827-R (5'-AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ
ID NO: 28)) and 2196AT-F (5'-CGCGGCGCTTGACACGGGGATCACCTCCAT-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 29)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the
total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase
(FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out
for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15
seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was
designated as PCR product No. 11.
[0140]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs of
PCR product No. 10 and PCR product No. 11 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl each.
The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of the 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 12. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0141]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No. 12 were digested with

restriction enzymes EcoT22 I and Psi I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing an amino acid substitution A→T at
position 2196 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 A2196T.
[0142]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 2218AS-R (5'-
GGTGCAGGTGGACCGCAGCGACGGTGCTGA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 30)) were
added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in
the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added
thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each
cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30
seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 13.
Next, pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) and 2218AS-F (5'-
CCGTCGCTGCGGTCCACCTGCACCACCCAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 31)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 14.
[0143]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs of
PCR product No. 13 and PCR product No. 14 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl each.
The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of the 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-

TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 15. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0144]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No. 15 were digested with
restriction enzymes EcoT22 I and Psi I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing an amino acid substitution A→S at
position 2218 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 A2218S.
[0145]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 2223HQ-R (5'-
TAGGTGTTGCTTTGGGTGGTGCAGGTGGCC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 32)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 16. Next, pSGR-
JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 ul of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES),
and 1 ul each of 10 µM primers 7827-R (5'-AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ
ID NO: 28)) and 2223HQ-F (5'-CTGCACCACCCAAAGCAACACCTATGACGT-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 33)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the
total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase

(FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out
for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15
seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was
designated as PCR product No. 17.
[0146]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs
of PCR product No. 16 and PCR product No. 17 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl
each. The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 18. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0147]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No. 18 were digested with
restriction enzymes EcoT22 I and Psi I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing amino acid substitution H→Q at
position 2223 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 H2223Q.
[0148]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 2281QR-R (5'-
TGGGAATTGTTTCTCGGGG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 35)) were added, and then deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl

of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. X. Next, pSGR-JFH-2.1 was used as a
template, 10 ul of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the
Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 ul each of 10 µM
primers 7827-R (5'-AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) and
2281QR-F (5'-TACTTGATCCCCGAGAAAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 34)) were added, and
then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. Y
[0149]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs
of PCR product No. X and PCR product No. Y were mixed in amounts of 1 µl each.
The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. Z. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0150]
pSGR-JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No. Z were digested with
restriction enzymes EcoT22 I and Psi I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression

vector having a nucleotide substitution causing amino acid substitution Q→R at
position 2281 was designated as pSGR-JFH-2.1 Q2281R.
[0151]
These plasmids were cleaved with Xba I and then subjected to phenol
chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation. Each HCV RNA was synthesized
using the thus cleaved plasmids as templates and a MEGAscript T7 kit (Ambion).
[0152]
The mutant JFH-2.1-derived subgenomic replicon RNA (3 µg) obtained as
described above was introduced into Huh7 cells by electroporation. The
electroporated Huh7 cells were seeded on a culture dish and cultured for 16 to 24
hours, and then G418 (neomycin) was added to the culture dish. Then, the culture
was continued while replacing the culture medium twice a week. After 21 days of
culture following seeding, viable cells were stained with crystal violet (Fig. 4B).
As a result, whereas no colony formation could be observed in cells into which the
JFH-2.1-derived subgenomic replicon RNA without mutation (Fig. 4B, top) had
been introduced, colony formation was clearly observed in cells into which the
mutation-introduced subgenomic replicon RNA had been introduced. In particular,
the subgenomic replicon RNA with A→S mutation at position 2218 exerted
significantly increased colony forming capacity, indicating the acquisition of high
replicon replication capacity. Therefore, it was demonstrated that these amino acid
mutations found as described above in the HCV precursor proteins, in particular
A→S amino acid mutation at position 2218 (hereinafter also referred to as
A(2218)S), enhance replication of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA.
[0153]
(Example 6) Construction of expression vectors pJ6/JFH-2.1 and pJ6/JFH-2.1
A2218S
In order to evaluate whether or not HCV particles could be produced in
cultured cells by using a replicon RNA based on the JFH-2.1 strain-derived mutant
HCV genome sequence as obtained in the above Examples, plasmid vectors
expressing the replicon RNA having the full-length HCV genome sequence (HCV
full-genomic replicon RNA) were constructed.
[0154]
Specifically, with reference to the report that a J6/JFH-1 chimeric HCV

genome is capable of efficiently producing HCV particles (Lindenbach et al.,
Science (2005) 309, p 623-626), using another HCV strain, a JFH-1 strain (genotype
2a)-derived 5' UTR sequence (SEQ ID NO: 8), the sequence of a J6CF strain
(genotype 2a)-derived structural region (containing sequences of Core, E1, E2, and
p7 regions; SEQ ID NO: 7), a JFH-1 strain-derived NS2 region (SEQ ID NO: 9),
and a JFH-2.1 strain-derived sequence ranging from the NS3 region to 3' UTR
(containing NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B regions and 3' UTR; SEQ ID NO:
10) were ligated in this order to form the chimeric HCV genome sequence J6/JFH-
2.1 (SEQ ID NO: 11) (Fig. 5B). Then the chimeric HCV genome sequence J6/JFH-
2.1 was incorporated under control of a T7 promoter in plasmid pUC19, thereby
construcing a recombinant expression vector pJ6/JFH-2.1, as described below. A
vector pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S expressing the mutant replicon J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (Fig.
5B) prepared by introducing A(2218)S mutation within the NS5A region
demonstrated in Example 5 to increase the efficiency of replicon replication into
J6/JFH-2.1. The nucleotide sequence of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S is shown in SEQ ID
NO: 12. In the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, G at nucleotide position 6836 of
J6/JFH-2.1 (SEQ ID NO: 11) was changed to T, so that amino acid mutation from A
to S at position 2217 was introduced. Construction was carried out by procedures
according to the previous report (Wakita, T et al., Nat Med., 11: 791-796, 2005).
The amino acid sequence of the precursor protein encoded by the full-length genome
sequence of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S is shown in SEQ ID NO: 88. The amino acid at
position 2218 in the JFH-2.1 full-length amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:
5 is alanine (A), and the alanine located at this position is aligned with the alanine at
position 2217 in the full-length amino acid sequence of chimeric HCV, J6/JFH2.1.
That is, in the protein encoded by the full-length genome nucleotide sequence of
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (SEQ ID NO: 12), alanine at position 2217 is substituted with
serine (S). In this case, this substitution also corresponds to amino acid
substitution A(2218)S as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID
NO: 6 as a reference sequence. The name of the mutant replicon has been changed
from the previous name, J6/JFH-2.1 A2218S to J6/JFH-2.1 A2117S just for reasons
of expediency, and thus they refer to the same replicon. The name of the
expression vector encoding the mutant replicon was also changed to pJ6/JFH-2.1
A2117S similarly.

[0155]
Specifically, pJ6/JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and
4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase
kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 2218AS-R (5'-
GGTGCAGGTGGACCGCAGCGACGGTGCTGA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 30)) were
added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in
the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added
thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each
cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30
seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 19.
Next, pJ6/JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) and 2218AS-F (5'-
CCGTCGCTGCGGTCCACCTGCACCACCCAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 31)) were added,
and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 20.
[0156]
These PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O.
DNAs of PCR product No. 19 and PCR product No. 20 were mixed in amounts of 1
µl each. The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 5162-F (5'-
TGGGACGCCATGTGGAAGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 26)) and 7827-R (5'-
AAAGTTACCTTTTTAGCCCT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 28)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR

product was designated as PCR product No. 21. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0157]
pJ6/JFH-2.1 and the purified PCR product No. 21 were digested with
restriction enzymes EcoT22 I and Psi I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having a nucleotide substitution causing amino acid substitution A→S at
position 2218 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S.
[0158]
(Example 7) Evaluation of HCV replicon replication capacity in cells into which
J6/JFH-2.1 and J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S RNA has been introduced
HCV replicon RNA (chimeric HCV full-genomic replicon RNA) was
prepared by procedures similar to those in Example 2 using the expression vectors
pJ6/JFH-2.1 and pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S constructed in Example 6. The thus
obtained HCV replicon RNAs, J6/JFH-2.1 HCV RNA and J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV
RNA were each introduced into Huh7 cells by electroporation. After introduction,
cells were collected at 4, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after electroporation and then
HCV Core protein contained in the cells was quantified using an HCV antigen
ELISA test kit (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics), and thereby HCV replicon replication
capacity in cells was evaluated (Fig. 6).
[0159]
As a result, the amount of Core protein in cells into which J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S HCV RNA had been introduced was found to increase at 48 hours after
introduction and thereafter, indicating efficient replication of the HCV replicon in
the cells. In contrast, the amount of Core protein in cells into which J6/JFH-2.1
HCV RNA had been introduced was not found to have increased even at 96 hours
after introduction. The above results demonstrated that A→S mutation at position
2218 in the NS5A region was also important for efficient replication of the chimeric
HCV replicon RNA in cells. Herein, "position 2218" means a mutation position as
defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference
sequence, and the corresponding mutation in the full-length amino acid sequence of

the mutated chimeric HCV is A→S mutation at position 2217.
[0160]
(Example 8) Evaluation of HCV particle-producing capacity in cells into which
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA has been introduced
While subculturing Huh7 cells into which J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA
had been introduced in a manner similar to that in Example 7 in a culture medium
(Dulbecco' s modified Eagle medium (DMEM)-10% fetal bovine serum), HCV Core
protein contained in a culture supernatant was quantified over time using an HCV
antigen ELISA test kit (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics) to confirm the production of
HCV particles (Fig. 7).
[0161]
As a result, whereas almost no Core protein was confirmed in the culture
supernatant for 60 days after HCV replicon RNA introduction, the amount of Core
protein was found to increase at 60 days to 80 days after introduction. After 80
days, Core protein was detected at an almost constant level. These results
demonstrated that J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA enabled production of viral
particles capable of being released extracellularly, when cells were subcultured after
introduction of the RNA thereinto.
[0162]
(Example 9) Evaluation of infectivity of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV particles
Whether or not the J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA-derived HCV particles
(hereinafter, J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV particles), the production of which was
confirmed in Example 8, had infectivity was examined. First, J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
HCV RNA was introduced into Huh7 cells by electroporation, similarly to the above
Example, and then subculture was carried out. The culture supernatant on day 88
after introduction into cells was added to naive Huh7 cells. After 72 hours, the
number of HCV-infected cells was determined by a focus-forming assay, and the
infectious titer was calculated (Fig. 8).
[0163]
As a result, the infectious titer was found to be 5.21 x 103 ffu/ml. The
value was divided by the amount of HCV Core (3.96 x 103 fmol/L) in the culture
supernatant. Thus, the infectious titer per unit HCV protein was calculated to be
1.32 (infectious titer/Core value).

[0164]
The result demonstrated that HCV particles produced via introduction of
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA into cells had infectivity.
[0165]
(Example 10) Construction of JFH-2.1 and JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV full-genomic
replicon RNA expression vectors
A plasmid vector pJFH-2.1 expressing replicon RNA having the full-length
genome sequence (HCV full-genomic replicon RNA (Fig. 9A)) of the JFH-2.1 strain
that comprises the 5' UTR region, structural region (Core, E1, E2, and p7 regions),
nonstructural region (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B regions), and the
3' UTR region, was constructed in order to evaluate whether or not HCV particles
could be produced in cultured cells using the HCV genome RNA of the JFH-2.1
strain based on the results of Examples 6-9 demonstrating that a chimeric HCV full-
genomic replicon, J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA, made it possible to produce
infectious HCV particles.
[0166]
Also, A→S mutation at position 2218 in the NS5A region demonstrated in
Examples 7-9 to be important for intracellular replication of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
chimeric HCV replicon RNA or production of infectious HCV particles therefrom
was introduced into the JFH-2.1 genome sequence in a manner similar to that in
Example 6. A vector pJFH-2.1 A2218S expressing the mutant full genomic
replicon JFH-2.1 A2218S (Fig. 9B) was constructed. The construction was carried
out by procedures according to the previous report (Wakita, T et al., Nat Med.,
(2005)). The nucleotide sequence of JFH-2.1 A2218S is shown in SEQ ID NO: 13.
In the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, A2218S amino acid mutation had been
introduced by alternation of G to T at nucleotide position 6992 of JFH-2.1 (SEQ ID
NO: 3).
[0167]
(Example 11) Evaluation of HCV particle-producing capacity in cells into which
JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA has been introduced
HCV replicon RNA (mutant HCV full-genomic replicon RNA) was
prepared by techniques similar to those in Example 2 using the expression vector
pJFH-2.1 A2218S constructed in Example 10. The thus obtained HCV replicon

RNA, JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA, was introduced into Huh7 cells by
electroporation. Thereafter, while subculturing cells in a culture medium (10%
fetal calf serum-containing Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM)), HCV
Core protein contained in the culture supernatant was quantified over time using an
HCV antigen ELISA test kit (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics) to confirm the production
of HCV particles (Fig. 10).
[0168]
As a result, almost no Core protein was confirmed in the culture
supernatant for 40 days after introduction of HCV replicon RNA. However, the
amount of Core protein was found to increase after 40 to 60 days after introduction.
On and after 60 days, Core protein was detected at an almost constant level. These
results demonstrated that JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA enabled production of viral
particles capable of being released extracellularly, when cells were subcultured after
introduction of the RNA into the cells.
[0169]
(Example 12) Evaluation of infectivity of JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV particles
Whether or not the JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA-derived HCV particles
(hereinafter, JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV particles), the production of which was
confirmed in Example 11, had infectivity was examined. First, similarly to the
above Example, JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA was introduced into Huh7 cells by
electroporation, and then subculture was carried out. The culture supernatant on
day 63 after introduction into cells was added to naive Huh7 cells. After 72 hours,
the number of HCV-infected cells was determined by a focus-forming method, and
the infectious titer was calculated (Fig. 11).
[0170]
As a result, the infectious titer was 4.32 x 104 ffu/ml. The value was
divided by the amount of HCV Core (1.17 x 104 fmol/L) in the culture supernatant.
Thus, the infectious titer per unit HCV protein was calculated to be 3.69 (infectious
titer/Core value). The result demonstrated that HCV particles produced by
introduction of JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA into cells had infectivity and the
infectious titer per unit protein was found to be higher than that of J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S HCV particles.
[0171]

(Example 13) Mutation analysis for nucleotide sequence resulting from subculture
of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S RNA-replicating cells
Fresh uninfected Huh-7 cells were infected with the culture supernatant of
Huh-7 cells (Huh-7 cells into which J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA had been
introduced) that contains J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV particles with high infectious
titer obtained in Example 8, at moi (multiplicity of infection) of 0.03. The infected
cells were subcultured until the amount of Core protein and the infectious titer in the
culture supernatant reached 1,000 fmol/L and 1,000 ffu/ml or more, respectively.
Infection with the culture supernatant containing the virus and subculture of infected
cells were repeated 3 to 4 times and then sequence analysis was conducted for HCV
RNA contained in the culture supernatant. Two infection lines were employed and
designated as 4A and 4B, respectively. First, RNA was extracted from each culture
supernatant of Huh-7 cells containing J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV particles of the
infection lines 4A and 4B and then HCV RNA contained therein was amplified by
RT-PCR. Random primers (6 mer, Takara Bio Inc.) were used for the
amplification. Amplification products were cloned into sequencing cloning vectors
and then subjected to sequence analysis by a conventional method.
[0172]
As a result, in the case of infection line 4A, nucleotide substitutions
causing amino acid substitutions at 7 positions: 2 positions (M→K at position 405
and N→T at position 417) in the E2 region that is in the structural region; and 1
position (M→T at position 868) in the NS2 region, 1 position (T→A at position
1642) in the NS3 region, 1 position (I→V at position 1722) in the NS4B region, 1
position (S→G at position 2204) in the NS5A region, and 1 position (T→I at
position 2695) in the NS5B region that are in the nonstructural region were found.
Also, in the case of infection line 4B, nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid
substitutions at 8 positions: 1 position (A→T at position 148) in Core region, 1
position (M→V at position 356) in the E1 region, and 1 position (V→G at position
626) in the E2 region that are in the structural region; and 1 position (I→V at
position 1687) in the NS4A region, 1 position (K→R at position 1767) in the NS4B
region, 1 position (C→S at position 2219) in the NS5A region, and 2 positions (T→I
at position 2695 and L→p at position 3016) in the NS5B region that are in the
nonstructural region were found. In addition, the positions of amino acid

mutations shown in this Example and the following Examples indicate the positions
in the relevant mutant amino acid sequence.
[0173]
(Example 14) Construction of J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S-derived mutant HCV full genome
RNA expression vector
Plasmids were prepared by introducing various combinations of the
mutations obtained in Example 13 into the plasmid pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S in order to
confirm whether or not the mutations found in Example 13 were adaptive mutations.
Specifically, pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4
µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase
kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 2219CS-S (5'-
GCGTTCCACCAGTGCCACCCACGGCACGGC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 36)) and 8035R-
2a (5'-CCACACGGACTTGATGTGGT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 37)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 22. Next, pJ6/JFH-
2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture
attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl
each of 10 uM primers 6586S-IH (5'-
CAAGACCGCCATCTGGAGGGTGGCGGCCTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 38)) and
2219CS-R (5'-GGTGGCACTGGTGGAACGCAGCGACGGGGC-3' (SEQ ID NO:
39)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to
49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES)
was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles,
with each cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C
for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR
product No. 23.
[0174]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs
of PCR product No. 22 and PCR product No. 23 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl
each. The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2

mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 6586S-IH (5'-
CAAGACCGCCATCTGGAGGGTGGCGGCCTC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 38)) and 8035R-
2a (5'-CCACACGGACTTGATGTGGT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 37)) were added, and
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 24. The PCR
product was purified and then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0175]
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S and the purified PCR product No. 24 were digested
with restriction enzymes Blp I and Psi I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at
position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as
defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence)
and C→S at position 2219 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS). The
nucleotide sequence of mutant HCV full-genomic sequence J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(CS) cloned into pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS) is shown in SEQ ID NO: 78 and the
amino acid sequence of an HCV virus precursor protein encoded by the nucleotide
sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 89.
[0176]
Next, pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and
4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase
kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 9124S-IH (5'-
TTCAGCCCTCAGAAAACTTGGGGCGCCACC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 40)) and
3016LR-R (5'-GGAGTAGGCTAgGGAGTAACAAGCGGGGTC-3' (SEQ ID NO:
41)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to
49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES)
was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles,

with each cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C
for 30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 25.
Next, pJ6/JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 3016LP-S (5'-
TTGTTACTCCCTAGCCTACTCCTACTCTTT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 42)) and M13R (5'-
AACAGCTATGACCATG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 43)) were added, and then deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The
resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 26.
[0177]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs
of PCR product No. 25 and PCR product No. 26 were mixed in amounts of 1 ul
each. The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of the 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 uM primers 9124S-IH (5'-
TTCAGCCCTCAGAAAACTTGGGGCGCCACC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 40)) and M13R
(5'-AACAGCTATGACCATG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 43)) were added, and deionized
water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 ul
of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was
carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 98°C
for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes. The resulting PCR
product was designated as PCR product No. 27. The PCR product was purified and
then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0178]
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S and the purified PCR product No. 27 were digested
with restriction enzymes EcoR V and Xba I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at

position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as
defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence)
and L→P at position 3016 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (LP). The
nucleotide sequence of mutant HCV full-genomic sequence J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (LP)
cloned into pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (LP) is shown in SEQ ID NO: 79 and the amino
acid sequence of an HCV virus precursor protein encoded by the nucleotide
sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 90.
[0179]
Next, cDNA prepared by reverse transcription from the HCV RNA of the
infection line 4B obtained in Example 13 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x
buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA
Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 uM primers 7993S-IH (5'-
CAGCTTGTCCGGGAGGGC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 44)) and 8892R-2a (5'-
AGCCATGAATTGATAGGGGA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 45)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 28.
[0180]
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S and the purified PCR product No. 28 were digested
with restriction enzymes Bsu36 I and Srf I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at
position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as
defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 was used as a reference
sequence) and T→I at position 2695 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI).
The nucleotide sequence of mutant HCV full-genomic sequence J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(TI) cloned into pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI) is shown in SEQ ID NO: 80 and the
amino acid sequence of an HCV virus precursor protein encoded by the nucleotide
sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 91.

[0181]
Next, pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and
4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase
kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 450S-IH (5'-
TGCCGCGCAGGGGCCCCAGGTTGGGTGTGC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 46)) and 148AT-
S (5'-GAGAGCTCTGGtGACGCCGCCGAGCGGGGC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 47)) were
added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in
the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added
thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles, with each
cycle consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 30
seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 29.
Next, pJ6/JFH-2.1 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 148AT-R (5'-
GGCGGCGTCaCCAGAGCTCTCGCGCATGGC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 48)) and 1440R-
IH (5'-GCTCCCTGCATAGAGAAGTA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 49)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 ul of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 1 minute and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 30.
[0182]
PCR products were each purified and dissolved in 15 µl of H2O. DNAs of
PCR product No. 29 and PCR product No. 30 were mixed in amounts of 1 µl each.
The resultant was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of the 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 450S-IH (5'-
TGCCGCGCAGGGGCCCCAGGTTGGGTGTGC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 46)) and 1440R-
IH (5'-GCTCCCTGCATAGAGAAGTA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 49)) were added, and
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 25 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes.

The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 31. The PCR
product was purified and then dissolved in 30 µl of H2O.
[0183]
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S and the purified PCR product No. 31 were digested
with restriction enzymes Cla I and Bsiw I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at
position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as
defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence)
and A→T at position 148 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S)(AT).
[0184]
Similarly, recombinant expression vectors, pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/LP),
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(CS/TI/LP), and pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP) were constructed. In
addition, these vectors were constructed by introducing the above-indicated amino
acid mutations in various combinations into the full-length amino acid sequence of
J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S. The nucleotide sequences of the mutant HCV full-genomic
sequences, J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/LP), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI), J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (TI/LP), J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI/LP), and J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(AT/CS/TI/LP) cloned into the pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(CS/TI), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI/LP), and
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP) vectors are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 81, 82, 83,
84, and 85, respectively. The amino acid sequences of HCV virus precursor
proteins encoded by the nucleotide sequences are shown in SEQ ID NO: 92, 93, 94,
95, and 96, respectively.
[0185]
A virus replicon into which all mutations of infection line 4A had been
introduced was prepared as follows. First, cDNA prepared by reverse transcription
from the HCV RNA of infection line 4A obtained in Example 13 was used as a
template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the
Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM

primers 2099S-2a (5'-ACGGACTGTTTTAGGAAGCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 50)) and
3509R-2a (5'-TCTTGTCGCGCCCCGTCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 51)) were added, and
then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 35 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 20 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2
mM dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 2285S-2a (5'-
AATTTCACTCGTGGGGATCG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 52)) and 3280R-IH (5'-
TGACCTTCTTCTCCATCGGACTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 53)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 20 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 32. pJ6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (TI) and the purified PCR product No. 32 were digested with restriction
enzymes Kpn I and Af III. Each HCV cDNA fragment was fractionated by agarose
gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA fragments were mixed with
Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA fragments were ligated to each
other. The thus obtained recombinant expression vector having nucleotide
substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at position 2217 (corresponding
to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as defined using the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence), T→I at position 2695, and
M→T at position 868 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT).
[0186]
Next, cDNA containing nucleotide substitutions causing M→K mutation at
position 405 and N→T mutation at position 417 prepared by reverse transcription
from the HCV RNA of infection line 4A obtained in Example 13 was used as a
template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the
Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM
primers 2099S-2a (5'-ACGGACTGTTTTAGGAAGCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 50)) and
3509R-2a (5'-TCTTGTCGCGCCCCGTCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 51)) were added, and

then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 20 seconds.
The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 ul each of 10 µM primers 2285S-2a (5'-
AATTTCACTCGTGGGGATCG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 52)) and 3280R-IH (5'-
TGACCTTCTTCTCCATCGGACTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 53)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 40 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 20 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 33. pJ6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (TI/MT) and the purified PCR product No. 33 were digested with restriction
enzyme Kpn I. Each HCV cDNA fragment was fractionated by agarose gel
electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA fragments were mixed with
Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA fragments were ligated to each
other. The thus obtained recombinant expression vector having nucleotide
substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at position 2217 (corresponding
to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as defined using the amino acid
sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence), T→I at position 2695, M→T at
position 868, M→K at position 405, and N→T at position 417 was designated as
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT).
[0187]
Next, cDNA containing a nucleotide substitution causing I→V mutation at
position 1722 prepared by reverse transcription from the HCV RNA of infection line
4A obtained in Example 13 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 ul of
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4547S-2a (5'-AAGTGTGACGAGCTCGCGG-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 54)) and 7677R-IH (5'-TATGACATGGAGCAGCACAC-3' (SEQ ID
NO: 55)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount
to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio

Inc.) was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30
cycles, with each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and
72°C for 3 minutes. The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer
and 4 ul of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit
(Takara Bio Inc.), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4607S-IH (5'-
AGAGGGTTGGACGTCTCCATAATACCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 56)) and 7214R-NS (5'
-CAGGCCGCGCCCAGGCCGGCAAGGCTGGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 57)) were
added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in
the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was
added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with
each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 2
minutes and 30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR
product No. 34. pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT) and the purified PCR
product No. 34 were digested with restriction enzymes Xho I and Blp I. Each HCV
cDNA fragment was fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified.
These two DNA fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the
two DNA fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant
expression vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions
A→S at position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position
2218 as defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference
sequence), T→I at position 2695, M→T at position 868, M→K at position 405,
N→T at position 417, and I→V at position 1722 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV).
[0188]
Next, cDNA containing a nucleotide substitution causing S→G mutation at
position 2204 prepared by reverse transcription from the HCV RNA of infection line
4A obtained in Example 13 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 6499S-NS (5'-
TAAGACCTGCATGAACACCTGGCAGGGGAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 58)) and 3'X-
8077R-IH (5'-ACATGATCTGCAGAGAGACCAGTTACGG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 59))
were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 ul
in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was

added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with
each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 3
minutes. The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 6698S-NS (5'-
ATACCATCTCCAGAGTTCTTTTCCTGGGTA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 60)) and 3'X-75R-
2a (5'-TACGGCACCTCTCTGCAGTCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 61)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 35.
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV) and the purified PCR product No. 35 were
digested with restriction enzymes Blp I and Psi 1. Each HCV cDNA fragment was
fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at
position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as
defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence),
T→I at position 2695, M→T at position 868, M→K at position 405, N→T at
position 417, I→V at position 1722, and S→G at position 2204 was designated as
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG).
[0189]
Next, cDNA containing a nucleotide substitution causing T→A mutation at
position 1642 prepared by reverse transcription from the HCV RNA of infection line
4A obtained in Example 13 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4547S-2a (5'-AAGTGTGACGAGCTCGCGG-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 62)) and 7677R-IH (5'-TATGACATGGAGCAGCACAC-3' (SEQ ID
NO: 63)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount
to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase
(FINNZYMES) was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out

for 30 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30
seconds, and 72°C for 3 minutes. The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl
of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA
Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4607S-IH(5' -
AGAGGGTTGGACGTCTCCATAATACCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 64)) and 7214R-NS
(5'-CAGGCCGCGCCCAGGCCGGCAAGGCTGGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 65)) were
added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in
the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was
added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with
each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 2
minutes and 30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR
product No. 36. pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG) and the purified
PCR product No. 36 were digested with restriction enzyme Xho I. Each HCV
cDNA fragment was fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified.
These two DNA fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the
two DNA fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant
expression vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions
A→S at position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position
2218 as defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference
sequence), T→I at position 2695, M→T at position 868, M→K at position 405,
N→T at position 417, I→V at position 1722, S→G at position 2204, and T→A at
position 1642 was designated as pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA).
The nucleotide sequence of mutant HCV full-genomic sequence J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA) cloned into pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA) is shown in SEQ ID NO: 86 and the amino acid
sequence of an HCV virus precursor protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence is
shown in SEQ ID NO: 97. Thus, all of the amino acid mutations found in infection
line 4A were introduced into the mutant precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA).
[0190]
Virus into which all mutations of 4B had been introduced was prepared as
follows. First, cDNA containing mutations M→V at position 356 and V→G at
position 626 prepared by reverse transcription from the HCV RNA of infection line

4B obtained in Example 13 was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 44S-IH (5'-CTGTGAGGAACTACTGTCTT-3'
(SEQ ID NO: 66)) and 3189R-IH (5'-CCAGTCCACCTGCCAAGG-3' (SEQ ID NO:
67)) were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to
49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio
Inc.) was added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30
cycles, with each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and
72°C for 3 minutes. The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer
and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit
(Takara Bio Inc.), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 63S-Con.l (5'-
TTCACGCAGAAAGCGTCTAG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 68)) and 2445R-2a (5'-
TCCACGATGTTTTGGTGGAG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 69)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 2 minutes and
30 seconds. The resulting PCR product was designated as PCR product No. 37.
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP) and the purified PCR product No. 37 were
digested with restriction enzymes Bsiw I and Sph I. Each HCV cDNA fragment
was fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified. These two DNA
fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the two DNA
fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant expression
vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions A→S at
position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position 2218 as
defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference sequence),
A→T at position 148, C→S at position 2219, T→I at position 2695, L→P at
position 3016, M→V at position 356, and V→G at position 626) was designated as
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG).
[0191]
Next, cDNA containing nucleotide substitutions causing I→V mutation at
position 1687 and K→R mutation at position 1767 prepared by reverse transcription
from the HCV RNA of infection line 4B obtained in Example 13 was used as a

template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the
Phusion DNA Polymerase kit (FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers
4593S-2a (5'-CTGTGGCATACTACAGAGG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 70)) and 5970R-2a (5'
-TTCTCGCCAGACATGATCTT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 71)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 35 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 20 seconds.
The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM
dNTP mixture attached to the Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase kit
(FINNZYMES), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4607S-IH (5'-
AGAGGGTTGGACGTCTCCATAATACCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 72)) and 5970R-2a (5'-
TTCTCGCCAGACATGATCTT-3' (SEQ ID NO: 73)) were added, and then
deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end.
Thereafter, 0.5 µl of Phusion DNA Polymerase (FINNZYMES) was added thereto,
and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with each cycle
consisting of 98°C for 10 seconds, 55°C for 15 seconds, and 72°C for 20 seconds.
The resulting PCR product was inserted into a pGEM-T Easy vector. Then the
plasmid was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of 2 mM dNTP
mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.), and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4547S-2a (5'-AAGTGTGACGAGCTCGCGG-3' (SEQ ID
NO: 74)) and 7677R-IH (5'-TATGACATGGAGCAGCACAC-3' (SEQ ID NO: 75))
were added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was
added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with
each cycle consisting of 98°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 3
minutes. The PCR product was used as a template, 10 µl of 10 x buffer and 4 µl of
2 mM dNTP mixture attached to the LA-Taq DNA Polymerase kit (Takara Bio Inc.),
and 1 µl each of 10 µM primers 4607S-IH (5'-
AGAGGGTTGGACGTCTCCATAATACCA-3' (SEQ ID NO: 76)) and 7214R-NS
(5'-CAGGCCGCGCCCAGGCCGGCAAGGCTGGTG-3' (SEQ ID NO: 77)) were
added, and then deionized water was added to bring the total amount to 49.5 µl in
the end. Thereafter, 0.5 µl of LA-Taq DNA Polymerase (Takara Bio Inc.) was

added thereto, and PCR was carried out. PCR was carried out for 30 cycles, with
each cycle consisting of 95°C for 30 seconds, 60°C for 30 seconds, and 72°C for 2
minutes and 30 seconds. The thus obtained PCR product was designated as PCR
product No. 38. pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG) and the purified
PCR product No. 39 were digested with restriction enzyme Xho I. Each HCV
cDNA fragment was fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis and then purified.
These two DNA fragments were mixed with Ligation Mix (Takara Bio Inc.), and the
two DNA fragments were ligated to each other. The thus obtained recombinant
expression vector having nucleotide substitutions causing amino acid substitutions
A→S at position 2217 (corresponding to amino acid substitution A→S at position
2218 as defined using the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 as a reference
sequence), A→T at position 148, C→S at position 2219, T→I at position 2695,
L→P at position 3016, M→V at position 356, V→G at position 626, T→S at
position 329, I→V at position 1687, and K→R at position 1767 was designated as
pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR). The nucleotide sequence of
mutant HCV full-genomic sequence J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR) cloned into pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR) is shown in SEQ ID NO: 87 and the amino acid
sequence of an HCV virus precursor protein encoded by the nucleotide sequence is
shown in SEQ ID NO: 98. Thus, all of the amino acid mutations found in infection
line 4B were introduced into the mutant precursor protein encoded by J6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR).
[0192]
(Example 15) Mutation analysis for nucleotide sequence resulting from subculture
of JFH-2.1 A2218S RNA replicating cells
Fresh uninfected Huh-7 cells were infected with the culture supernatant of
Huh-7 cells (Huh-7 cells into which JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV RNA had been
introduced) that contains JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV particles with high infectious titer
obtained in Example 8, at moi (multiplicity of infection) of 0.03. The infected
cells were subcultured until the amount of Core protein and the infectious titer in the
culture supernatant reached 1,000 fmol/L and 1,000 ffu/rnl or more, respectively.
Infection with the culture supernatant containing the virus and subculture of infected
cells were repeated 3 to 4 times and then sequence analysis was conducted for HCV

RNA contained in the culture supernatant. Two infection lines were employed and
designated as D3 and D4, respectively. First, RNA was extracted from each culture
supernatant of Huh-7 cells containing JFH-2.1 A2218S HCV particles of infection
line D3 and D4 and then HCV RNA contained therein was amplified by RT-PCR.
Random primers (6 mer, Takara Bio Inc.) were used for amplification.
Amplification products were cloned into sequencing cloning vectors and then
subjected to sequence analysis by a conventional method.
[0193]
As a result, in the case of infection line D3, nucleotide substitutions
causing amino acid substitutions at 7 positions: 1 position in the E2 region that is in
the structural region (I→T at position 414); and 2 positions in the NS3 region (E→Q
at position 1510 and R→Q at position 1617), 3 positions in the NS5A region (K→Q
at position 2006, A→V at position 2233, and N→S at position 2234); and 1 position
in the NS5B region (T→I at position 2695), that are in the nonstructural region,
were found. Also, in the case of infection line D4, nucleotide substitutions causing
amino acid substitutions at 9 positions: 1 position in E2 region that is in the
structural region (V→G at position 387); and 1 position in the NS2 region (V→A at
position 828), 2 positions in the NS3 region (R→Q at position 1225 and R→G at
position 1283), 1 position in the NS4B region (V→A at position 1883), 3 positions
in the NS5A region (S→A at position 2206, K→N at position 2279, and C→R at
position 2441), and 2 positions in the NS5B region (T→I at position 2695) that are
in the nonstructural region, were found.
[0194]
(Example 16) Evaluation of HCV particle-producing capacity of cells into which
mutant J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S HCV RNA has been introduced
HCV full-genome RNA (mutant HCV full-genome RNA) was prepared by
techniques similar to those in Example 2 using the expression vectors constructed in
Example 14, pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S, pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(CS/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (CS/TI), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (TI/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1
A2217S (CS/TI/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S (AT/CS/TI/LP), pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(TI/MT/MK/NT/IV/SG/TA), and pJ6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
(AT/CS/TI/LP/MV/VG/IV/KR). Each of the thus obtained HCV full-genome

RNAs was introduced into Huh7 cells by electroporation. Thereafter, while
subculturing cells in medium (10% fetal calf serum-containing Dulbecco's modified
Eagle's medium (DMEM)), HCV Core protein contained in the culture supernatant
was quantified over time using an HCV antigen ELISA test kit (Ortho Clinical
Diagnostics) to confirm the production of HCV particles (Fig. 12).
[0195]
As a result, it was demonstrated that when the above amino acid mutations
at 7 or 8 positions were independently introduced into the J6/JFH-2.1 A2217S
genome sequence, the RNA was self-replicated efficiently in cells into which the
RNA was introduced, and the virus was secreted into the culture supernatant within
a short time after the initiation of replication.
Industrial Applicability
[0196]
The HCV replicons according to the present invention prepared using the
genome of HCV of genotype 2a isolated from a fulminant hepatitis C patient,
replicon-replicating cells into which the HCV replicons are introduced, the method
for producing infectious HCV particles in the culture cell system using the HCV
replicons, and infectious HCV particles obtained by the method are useful as
systems for evaluation of molecules inhibiting HCV replication and HCV infection.
The present invention can provide HCV subgenomic replicon RNA and full-genomic
replicon RNA having self-replication capacity that is significantly higher than that
of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA obtained thus far. These replicon RNAs can be
used particularly conveniently for screening for anti-HCV agents that inhibit HCV
replication or studies for elucidating the HCV replication mechanism. Also, the
HCV full-genomic replicon RNA of the present invention possesses HCV particle-
producing capacity that is higher than that of HCV full-genomic replicon RNA
obtained thus far, so that it can be used for constructing a system for efficiently
producing HCV particles at a high level, with which HCV particles having
infectivity can be prepared in vitro in large amounts. Also, the HCV replicons and
infectious HCV particles according to the present invention are also useful for use
as HCV vaccines or antigens for preparation of anti-HCV antibodies. The method
for producing HCV viral particles using multiple mutant replicons according to the

present invention is also very useful for in vitro production of HCV viral particles
within a short time period.
Sequence Listing Free Text
[0197]
SEQ ID NOS: 1, 2, 11-13 and 16-87 are synthetic DNAs.
[0198]
SEQ ID NOS: 88-98 are synthetic polypeptides.

We Claim:
1. A nucleic acid comprising a 5' untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region,
an NS4A protein coding region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein
coding region, an NS5B protein coding region, and a 3' untranslated region of a
hepatitis C virus genome, wherein the nucleic acid has nucleotide substitutions
causing one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of
M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q,
Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence
shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the NS3
protein coding region, the NS5A protein coding region, or the NS5B protein coding
region.
2. The nucleic acid according to claim 1, which has at least a nucleotide substitution
causing amino acid substitution A(2218)S in the NS5A protein coding region.
3. The nucleic acid according to claim 1 or 2, which further comprises a Core
protein coding region, an E1 protein coding region, an E2 protein coding region, a
p7 protein coding region, and an NS2 protein coding region of a hepatitis C virus
genome.
4. The nucleic acid according to claim 3, which encodes an amino acid sequence
having one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of
M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q,
Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence
shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the
amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 6 in the Sequence Listing.
5. The nucleic acid according to claim 3, consisting of the nucleotide sequence
shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or 13 in the Sequence Listing.
6. The nucleic acid according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a
marker gene and/or an IRES sequence.

7. The nucleic acid according to claim 1 or 2, which is a subgenomic replicon RNA.
8. The nucleic acid according to any one of claims 3 to 5, which is a full-genomic
replicon RNA.
9. An expression vector, wherein the nucleic acid according to claim 1 or 2 is
operably ligated downstream of a promoter.

10. An expression vector, wherein the nucleic acid according to any one of claims 3
to 5 is operably ligated downstream of a promoter.
11. A transformed cell, which is obtained by introducing the full-genomic replicon
RNA according to claim 8 or the expression vector according to claim 10.
12. A hepatitis C virus particle, which is obtained by culturing the transformed cell
according to claim 11.
13. An antibody against the hepatitis C virus particle according to claim 12.

The present invention provides a nucleic acid comprises a 5' untranslated
region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein coding region, an NS4B
protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an NS5B protein coding
region, and a 3' untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus genome, wherein the
nucleic acid has nucleotide substitutions causing one or more amino acid
substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W,
T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as
defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence
Listing as a reference sequence, in the NS3 protein coding region, the NS5A protein
coding region, or the NS5B protein coding region.