Process for typing HCV isolates

US6548244B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Innogenetics N.V. · BE

Inventors

• Geert Maertens · Brugge, BE
• Lieven Stuyver · Borsbeke, BE
• Rudi Rossau · Ekeren, BE
• Hugo Van Heuverswyn · Laarne, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 6, 2001
• Grant date: Apr 15, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 6, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12Q1/6834
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for genotyping any HCV isolate present in a biological sample, previously identified as being HCV positive, and for classifying said isolate according to the percentage of homology with other HCV isolates, comprising the steps of:contacting said sample in which the ribonucleotides or deoxyribonucleotides have been made accessible, if need be, under suitable denaturation, with at least one probe from about 10 to about 40 nucleotides, with said probe being liable to hybridize to a region being in the domain extending from nucleotide at position −291 to nucleotide at position −66 of the 5′ untranslated region of one of the HCV isolates represented by their cDNA sequences, with said numbering of position beginning with the first ATG codon of the open reading frame encoding the HCV polyprotein, or with said probe being complementary to the above-defined probes,detecting the complexes possibly formed between said probe and the nucleotide sequence of the HCV isolate to be identified.