[Spectrum of antibodies to HCV antigens in patients with different clinical patterns of chronic HCV infection]. / Spektr antitel k razlichnym antigenam HCV pri raznykh variantakh techeniia khronicheskoi HCV-infektsii.

Correlations between the spectra of antibodies to HCV proteins represented by various antigenic determinants and clinical variants of chronic HCV infection were studied. Synthetic peptides core-16, NS4-20, and NS5-23 simulating the immunodominant regions of the core, NS4 and NS5 proteins and recombinant proteins core-114 and NS4-86 were used as antigens. The results indicate that if the serum of an HCV patients contains no IgG to both antigenic determinants of NS4 or to NS5 in combination with any core antigenic determinant, a clinical and biochemical remission is highly probable. Chronic hepatitis C is characterized by the presence of IgG in high titers to both antigenic determinants of NS4 protein, particularly in combination with anti-NS5 IgG in low titers or none at all, or high titers of anti-core-16 IgG in combination with high titers of anti-NS4-20 IgG.

[Genome analysis of hepatitis C virus strain 274933RU isolated in Russian Federation]. / Analiz genoma izoliata 274933RU virusa gepatita C, vydelennogo na territorii Rossiiskoi Federatsii.

Five overlapping cDNA fragments of hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolate 274933RU, obtained by RT-PCR, were amplified and cloned. Complete nucleotide RNA sequence has been determined. The genomic organization of 274933RU was, from 5' to 3' terminals, 5' UTR (341 nt), polyprotein ORF (9033 nt), 3' UTR (40 nt except for the poly(U-UC) and polypyrimidine stretch), and X-tail (98 nt). Phylogenetic analysis of the core and NS5 genes showed that the isolated strain belonged to HCV 1b subtype.

[Clinico-laboratory characteristics of viral hepatitis C with various HCV genotypes]. / Kliniko-laboratornaia kharakteristika virusnogo gepatita C pri razlichnykh genotipakh HCV.

Clinical and biochemical features of the acute phase of icteric hepatitis C in various HCV genotypes have been studied. The HCV genotypes determine the duration of incubation period and some clinical signs in the preicteric and icteric periods of acute hepatitis C. The biochemical picture and formation of chronic hepatitis virtually did not depend on the virus genotype.

[Distribution and features of infection with hepatitis viruses B and C during hemodialysis treatment]. / Rasprostranennost' i osobennosti infitsirovaniia virusami gepatitov B i C v usloviiakh lecheniia gemodializom.

The prevalence of hepatitides B and C was evaluated in 140 patients treated by hemodialysis. Almost half of patients (48%) had acute hepatitis B which completely resolved. Acute hepatitis B was detected in 6% in the course of observation. In 6% chronic hepatitis B was diagnosed, and in 24% chronic hepatitis C. A combination of hepatitides B and C was diagnosed in 2% patients. Only 12% patients were not infected with hepatitis. Genotype 1b predominated in patients with HCV infection (73%); genotypes 1a, 21, and 3a were equally incident (9%). Replication of HBV and HCV in patients with uremia under conditions of hemodialysis was detected in 83 and 86% patients, respectively. Relationship between HBV and HCV infection and the duration of hemodialysis treatment was analyzed. The percentage of non-infected patients persistently decreased, and the time course of HBV and HCV infection was different. Infection with HBV after the beginning of hemodialysis occurred sooner (16.0 +/- 4.0 months) than with HCV (30.2 +/- 4.6 months, p < 0.04). The levels of SGPT and SGOT in patients with various manifestations of HBV and HCV infection treated by hemodialysis were followed up.

[Determination of hepatitis G virus markers in various risk groups]. / Opredelenie markerov virusa gepatita G v razlichnykh gruppakh riska.

Study of prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) markers in different risk groups showed the presence of HGV RNA in 3.2% blood donors, 24.2% patients with hepatitis C (HCV), and 28% patients with hemophilia. HGV antibodies were detected in 11.3% donors, 16.0% patients with HCV, 13.4% patients with hemophilia, and 8.5% HIV-infected subjects. Anti-E1 HGV were more often detected in the absence of HGV RNA. Antibodies to HGV E2 protein were significantly more often detected in adult HCV patients but not in adolescent patients aged 8-15 years.

[Comparative analysis of fragments of HGV NS5b-region isolated in Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyztan]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz fragmentov NS5B-regiona izoliatov HGV, obnaruzhennykh v Rossii, Kazakhstane i Kyrgyzstane.

Nucleotide sequence of a 356 nt fragment of the NS5 region of the hepatitis G virus (HGV) genome was determined in 7 strains isolated in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrghyzstan. Philogenetic analysis showed that all isolated strains genetically differed from the West African strain described previously (type 1) and are closely related to strains isolated in the USA and South-Eastern Asia (type 2). Hence, the strains from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrghyzstan belong to type 2 variant of HGV genome.

[Regularities in the spread of hepatitis C virus and its genotypes in Russian and countries within the former USSR]. / Zakonomernosti rasprostraneniia virusa gepatita C i ego genotipov v Rossii i stranakh SNG.

The incidence of markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV in the blood of 4216 normal subjects living in the European Russia (Northern, North-Western, Central, Central Chernozem, Volga-Vyatka, Volga, and North Caucasian regions), in the Urals, in Siberia (Eastern Siberian region), in the Far East, and in Monogolia is assessed. The incidence of antibodies to HCV varied from 0.7% in the Central region to 3.8% in the Central Chernozem and 10.7% in Mongolia. HCV genotyping (identification of 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, and 3a genotypes) was performed using 469 RNA of HCV-positive sera of donors and patients collected in Russia, Moldova, Turkmenistan, and Mongolia. The 1b genotype predominated everywhere (68.9%), its incidence being the highest in Moldova (96%). Unclassifiable variants of HCV were found in 28 (6%) of sera. The regularities of HCV genotypes circulation in the European Russia were the same as in other European countries, whereas their prevalence in Eastern Russia was rather like that in China or Japan. The prevalence of genotypes did not depend on the clinical manifestations of diseases caused by HCV.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus and distribution of its genotypes in Northern Eurasia.

We tested hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody in 4216 sera collected from healthy people living in European part of Russia (including Northern, North-Western, Central, Central-Blacksoil, Volga-Vyatka, Volga, and North-Caucasian regions), non-European part of Russia (the Urals, East-Siberia, and the Far-East regions) and Mongolia. Prevalence of HCV antibody varied significantly by regions, ranging from 0.7% in Central region of European part of Russia to 10.7% in Mongolia. Genotyping of HCV (into 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, and 3a) was performed on 469 sera from blood donors and patients (in Russia, Moldova, Turkmenistan, and Mongolia) who were positive for both HCV antibody and RNA. Genotype 1b was the most dominant genotype irrespective of regions (68.9%), with the highest rate in Moldova (96%). HCV unclassifiable into genotypes 1a-to-3a was found in 28 (6.0%) samples: particularly 4 of 10 samples from Lipetzk were untypable. Overall, HCV genotypes in European part of Russia were more similar to those in European countries, while those in Eastern part of Russia more similar to China or Japan. Genotype distribution was not associated with the clinical expression of HCV disease: acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis.

[Prevalence of genotypes of the hepatitis C virus, circulating in northwestern and central parts of Russia]. / Rasprostranenie genotipov virusa gepatita C, tsirkuliruiushchikh na territoriiakh severo-zapadno i i tsentral;no i chaste i Rossii.

Testing of 90 sera for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) by genotyping methods resulted in determination of the genotype in 83 cases: 47 cases with 1b genotype, 27 with 1a, 7 with 3a, 1 with 2a, and 1 with 2b genotype. Hence, preliminary data indicate the predominance of HCV genotype 1b among patients with hepatitis C in these regions of Russia.

[Changes in the secondary structure bacteriophage T4 envelope protein after its polymerization]. / Izmenenie vtorichnoi struktury dlia polimerizatsii chekhol'nogo belka bakteriofaga T4.

Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the structural protein of the bacteriophage T4 sheath (gp 18) in a monomeric native state, helices, polysheaths and contracted sheaths were measured in the range 184-310 nm. The secondary structure of the protein studied was calculated from the spectra in the range 190-240 nm according to Provencher and Glöckner. It has been shown that the polymerization is proceeded without change of the alpha-helical content in the secondary structure of gp 18: estimated alpha-helix in monomeric gp 18, helices and polysheaths was 39%. The beta-form content in monomeric gp 18, helices and polysheaths was 33, 32 and 37%, respectively. Tail sheath contraction is attended by a 14% decrease in gp 18 alpha-helicity and a 5% increase in its beta-form content.

Cascade of overlapping late genes in bacteriophage T4.

The DNA sequences of genes 9, 10, 11, 12, and wac, which encode the structural proteins in the bacteriophage T4 base plate, were determined. These genes form a single operon which is transcribed in a clockwise direction from a single late promoter in the TATAAATA region located upstream of gene 9 at position -10. A feature of the operon is an overlap between the termination codon of each upstream gene and the initiation codon of its downstream gene. With the exception of gene 10, the open reading frames encode proteins which have a calculated molecular mass close to that obtained experimentally. The reading frame of gene 10 encodes a polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 66.2 kDa, which is at least 22 kDa less than that in the phage particle. Thus the mature protein encoded by gene 10 is possibly a product of the fusion of two adjacent phage genes. The hybrid protein may be formed by a frameshift during the translation of messenger RNA at the end of gene 9 or gene 10.

[Structure and regulation of the assembly of bacteriophage T4 fibrillar proteins. I. Isolation and spectral properties of long fibers]. / Struktura i reguliatsiia sborki fibrilliarnykh belkov bakteriofaga T4. I. Vydelenie i spektral'nye svoistva dlinnykh fibrill.

A preparative procedure for purification of the biological active proximal (A) and distal (BC') parts of bacteriophage T4 long-tail fibers is described. Absorption spectra of these proteins in the near ultraviolet region were measured. The absorption coefficients were determined on the basis of the nitrogen content, the absorption coefficient for the A part is epsilon 0.1% 277 nm = 0.93 +/- 0.06 and for the BC' part is epsilon 0.1%, 277,5 nm = 1.01 +/- 0.08. Calculations of the secondary structure from CD spectra show that there is a high content of beta-structure: 41% in the A part and 51% in the BC' part,--and also that alpha-helix are present in the native complex: 20% in A and 7% in BC'. A model for the spatial organisation of long fibers is proposed.

[Structural separation of the functional loci of bacteriophage T4 short fibrillae]. / Strukturnoe razdelenie funktsional'nykh lokusov korotkikh fibrill bakteriofaga T4.

Short-tail fibers (STF) of bacteriophage T4 are a polyfunctional protein. STF appears to be a trimer of gene 12 product. The modified trimers, consisting of fragments of gene 12 product with mol mass 45 and 50 Kd, respectively, were isolated by limited proteolysis with trypsin and papain. The isolated trimers retained their bactericidal activity but were unable to complement the fiberless phage particles. The results obtained suggest that STF loci responsible for bactericidal effect are separated from the loci involved in interaction with the base plate.