Detection of HGV-RNA by Hybridizati0n with Fluorescein．Labeled Probe

The sequences of HGV gene that had been reported were checked and analyzed. After comparison of HGV seqences from different virus strains, a gene fragment of 31 nucleotides (7121-7152 nt) served as a probe was labeled by fluorescein N 6 dd ATP with terminal transferase. The specificity of HGV probe was tested by dot blot hybridization with HCV RNA related virus RNA, C.T DNA, HGV RNA, and Southern blot hybridization with RT PCR product of HGV. Positive results obstained only from the HGV RNA of positive sera that was confirmed by nested RT PCR, all others were negative. The sensitivity of fluorescein labeled probe was examined. The result showed that the fluorescein labeled probe was able to check1.56 pg of target genome. The conformity of HGV RNA detection using RT PCR and HGV gene probe was 97.9% . The experiment suggested that fluorescein labeled probe can be used in clinic detection and epidemic study.