FIG. 5.

Direct sequencing of the ISDR before and after IFN therapy. ISDR sequences are shown for IFN-treated patients 1 to 9 and untreated control patients 10 to 12. (A) Alignment of the ISDR from genotype 1a-infected patients relative to the ISDR of the prototype genotype 1a strain of HCV, HCV-1 (accession no. M62321). The underlines represent the three amino acid changes in the putative ISDR of genotype 1a that differ from the prototype genotype 1b ISDR. (B) Alignment of the ISDR from genotype 1b-infected patients relative to the consensus ISDR associated with IFN resistance from the prototype genotype 1b strain of HCV, HCV-J (accession no. D90208). For patient 5, BT represents the breakthrough time point. preMV1 and preMV2 represent the two ISDR variants detected in pretreatment (pre) serum of patient 1. post, posttreatment.