Nuclear localization signals in the core protein of hepatitis C virus.
The core protein of the hepatitis C virus is derived from the N-terminal 191 amino acids of the viral polyprotein by proteolytic cleavage. In the current study, subcellular localizations of the HCV core and its beta-galactosidase fusion proteins in transfected cells were examined by indirect immunofluorescence and cytochemical staining. The core protein was located predominantly in the cytoplasm 6 days after a plasmid encoding the full-length core protein had been introduced into mammalian cells. A hydrophobic domain in the C-terminal region of the core protein may block the efficiency of nuclear transport, since a beta-galactosidase fusion protein that contains HCV core protein lacking the C-terminal 66-amino-acid was located within the nuclei of mammalian cells 24 hours posttransfection. Three independent nuclear localization signals were further identified in the N-terminal region of the HCV core protein.
Chang
S C
SC
Institute of Microbiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, R.O.C.
Yen
J H
JH
Kang
H Y
HY
Jang
M H
MH
Chang
M F
MF
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017931:DNA Primers; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis
D017931:DNA Primers; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus; D001616:beta-Galactosidase