Genetic analysis of the carboxy-terminal region of the hepatitis C virus core protein.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a liver-tropic pathogen with severe health consequences for infected individuals. Chronic HCV infection can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is a leading indicator for liver transplantation. The HCV core protein is an essential component of the infectious virus particle, but many aspects of its role remain undefined. The C-terminal region of the core protein acts as a signal sequence for the E1 glycoprotein and undergoes dual processing events during infectious virus assembly. The exact C terminus of the mature, virion-associated core protein is not known. Here, we performed genetic analyses to map the essential determinants of the HCV core C-terminal region, as well as to define the minimal length of the protein that can function for infectious virus production in trans.
Kopp
Martina
M
Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA.
Murray
Catherine L
CL
Jones
Christopher T
CT
Rice
Charles M
CM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D002460:Cell Line; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D014774:Virulence; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins