A vaccinia replication system for producing recombinant hepatitis C virus

Figure 1 Immunofluorescent analysis of HCV nonstructural proteins expressed in BHK₂₁ cells using a mixture of NS3- and NS5a-specific mouse monoclonal antibodies. A: cells transfected with pT7HCV; B: cells cotransfected with pT7HCV and pVHCV; C: cells transfected with pVHCV.

Figure 2 Western blotting of HCV gene products expressed in BHK₂₁ cells probed with a mixture of NS3- and NS5a-specific mouse monoclonal antibodies. 1: cells transfected with control plasmid (pOCUS-T7); 2: cells transfected with pVHCV; 3: cells cotransfected with pT7HCV and pVHCV; 4: cells trans-fected with pT7HCV.

Figure 3 Immunoelectron microscopy of HCV-like virions in BHK21 cells cotransfected with pT7HCV plus pVHCV and stained with mixed NS3- and NS5a-specific mouse monoclonal antibodies. Virions about 40 to 60 nm in diameter (arrows) were identified in cytoplasm and vesicles. Bar: 500 nm (A) and 200 nm (B). c: cytoplasm; lu: lumen; n: nucleus.