title: Envelope 2 protein phosphorylation sites S75 & 277 of hepatitis C virus genotype 1a and interferon resistance: a sequence alignment approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C is a major health problem affecting more than 200 million individuals in world including Pakistan. Current treatment regimen consisting of interferon alpha and ribavirin does not always succeed to eliminate virus completely from the patient's body.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interferon induced antiviral protein kinase R (PKR) has a role in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment as dsRNA activated PKR has the capacity to phosphorylate the serine and threonine of E2 protein and dimerization viral RNA. E2 gene of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 has an active role in IFN resistance. E2 protein inhibits and terminates the kinase activity of PKR by blocking it in protein synthesis and cell growth. This brings forward a possible relation of E2 and PKR through a mechanism via which HCV evades the antiviral effect of IFN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A hybrid in-silico and wet laboratory approach of motif prediction, evolutionary and structural anlysis has pointed out serine 75 and 277 of the HCV E2 gene as a promising candidate for the serine phosphorylation. It is proposed that serine phosphorylation of HCV E2 gene has a significant role in interferon resistance.
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, 87-West Canal Bank Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore-53700, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. samiaraza@live.com
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idrees
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ilyas
authors.forename: Abrar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Madiha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akram
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Irshad Ur
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.forename: Liaqat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahid
mesh_terms: D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010154:Pakistan; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C091015:glycoprotein E2, Hepatitis C virus