Examination of the buoyant density of hepatitis C virus by the polymerase chain reaction

Sucrose and cesium chloride density gradients were used to fractionate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infectious chimpanzee plasma. The fractionated plasma was then evaluated for HCV RNA sequences using cDNA synthesis and the polymerase chain reaction (cDNA/PCR). cDNA/PCR detectable HCV RNA was identified repeatedly in two regions. One region was at the top of the gradients with a buoyant density of ⩽ 1.03 g/cm3, the other at a density of approximately 1.18–1.21 g/cm3.