Nucleic acid sequence of the VP1 region of attenuated MS-1 hepatitis A virus

The nucleotide sequence of the VP1 region of marmoset-attenuated hepatitis A virus (HAV), MS-1, was determined by incorporative dideoxynucleotide sequencing of the RNA obtained from purified, liver-derived virus. Comparison of this nucleotide sequence to those of four previously published isolates revealed that one of the isolates, HM-175, which was obtained from Australia and passed three times in marmosets, had a 8.5-11% nucleotide variability compared to the remaining four isolates which were isolated from North American sources. This nucleotide variability does not result in amino acid differences with the exception of two of the North American isolates, which were derived from tissue culture passage. These isolates have been shown to contain regions of variability generated by nucleotide insertions and/or deletions, while the remaining three isolates, including the Australian isolate, demonstrate limited amino acid differences within the VP1 molecule.