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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
Phylogenetic and 2D/3D Analysis of HCV 1a NS4A Gene/Protein in Pakistani Isolates
Abrar Hussain1, Muhammad Idrees2, Muhammad Asif3
1Department of Biotechnology and Informtics, BUITEMS, Quetta, Pakistan ; National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
Background:
The nonstructural protein NS4A of hepatitis C virus is composed of 54 amino acids. This small size protein has vital role in many cellular functions. The most important reported function is being a cofactor of viral enzymes serine protease and helicase.
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to analyze the phylogenetic variation, its impact in terms of translation and any functional change in protein structure at primary 2D/3D structure using computational tools from Pakistani patients isolates.
Materials And Methods:
Patient sera infected with Hepatitis C virus, genotype 1A, were obtained from Molecular Diagnostics lab, CEMB, University of the Punjab Lahore by using BD Vacutainer collection tubes (Becton Dickenson).
Results:
Phylogenetic analysis of the gene revealed that Pakistani 1a HCV strains are in the start of third cluster and there is a difference between inter Pakistani isolates at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Conclusions:
Mutations were present in the central domain of NS4A (amino acids 21 - 34).
