title: Subcellular localization of hepatitis C viral proteins in mammalian cells.
abstract: We determined the subcellular localization of hepatitis C viral (HCV) proteins as a first step towards the understanding of the functions of these proteins in the mammalian cell (CHO-K1). We used fluorescence emitted from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused to the viral proteins to determine the subcellular localization of the viral proteins. We found that most of the viral proteins were excluded from the nucleus. Core exhibited a globular pattern near the nucleus. NS2 was concentrated in the perinuclear space. NS4A accumulated in the ER and the Golgi regions. NS3 was detected in the nucleus as well as the cytoplasm, when it was expressed by itself. However, NS3 became restricted to the cytoplasm, when it was produced together with NS4A. NS4B showed a spot-like pattern throughout the cytoplasm. NS5A and NS5B were distributed throughout the cytoplasm in a mesh-like pattern. These results can provide a basis for further investigations into the functions of the HCV proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Kyungbuk, Korea.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Back
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D019556:COS Cells; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; C093542:NS4 protein, hepatitis C virus