How does a HCV replicon works? - (Apr/23/2008 )

Does anyone know how a HCV replicon works? Does it have to be inserted into a plasmid vector? Or is it a sort of mRNA that can replicate on his own? please help me

The HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase will be needed. I'm not sure if this gene will be part of the replicon, or expressed transiently in cells. I'd imagine that you would have to clone the replicon in a plasmid, in vitro transcribe the RNA (from a T7 promoter or similar), and transfect the RNA. I'm new to the field, so I'd be interested in learning the difference between Replicon RNA and the genomic RNA.