The present inventors developed hepatitis C virus 6a/2a intergenotypic recombinants in which the JFH1 structural genes (Core, E1 and E2), p7 and the complete NS2 were replaced by the corresponding genes of the genotype 6a reference strain HK6a. Sequence analysis of recovered 6a/2a recombinants from 2 transfection experiments and subsequent reverse genetic studies revealed adaptive mutations in E1 and E2. Conclusion: The developed 6a/2a viruses provide a robust in vitro tool for research in HCV genotype 6, including vaccine studies and functional analyses.