title: Characterization of nonstructural protein membrane anchor deletion mutants expressed in the context of the hepatitis C virus polyprotein.
abstract: Protein-protein interactions involved in formation of the membrane-associated hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication complex are poorly understood. Here, we investigated nonstructural proteins with deletions in their membrane anchor domains when expressed in the context of the entire HCV polyprotein. Interactions among cytosolic domains of HCV nonstructural proteins were found not to be sufficiently strong to rescue such mutants to the membrane. Thus, the membrane anchor domains of nonstructural proteins are essential for incorporation of these proteins into the HCV replication complex while interactions among the cytosolic domains appear to be relatively weak. This feature may provide the nonstructural proteins with a certain flexibility to perform their multiple functions during HCV replication.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Rue du Bugnon 46, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gosert
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jendrsczok
authors.forename: Jan Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Berke
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brass
authors.forename: Hubert E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Darius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moradpour
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains; D009154:Mutation; D020815:Polyproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D020815:Polyproteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases