• Medientyp: E-Artikel
  • Titel: Structural Determinants for Membrane Association and Dynamic Organization of the Hepatitis C Virus NS3-4A Complex
  • Beteiligte: Brass, Volker; Berke, Jan Martin; Montserret, Roland; Blum, Hubert E.; Penin, François; Moradpour, Darius
  • Erschienen: National Academy of Sciences, 2008
  • Erschienen in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105 (2008) 38, Seite 14545-14550
  • Sprache: Englisch
  • ISSN: 0027-8424
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  • Beschreibung: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-4A is a membrane-associated multifunctional protein harboring serine protease and RNA helicase activities. It is an essential component of the HCV replication complex and a prime target for antiviral intervention. Here, we show that membrane association and structural organization of HCV NS3-4A are ensured in a cooperative manner by two membrane-binding determinants. We demonstrate that the N-terminal 21 amino acids of NS4A form a transmembrane α-helix that may be involved in intramembrane protein-protein interactions important for the assembly of a functional replication complex. In addition, we demonstrate that amphipathic helix α₀, formed by NS3 residues 12-23, serves as a second essential determinant for membrane association of NS3-4A, allowing proper positioning of the serine protease active site on the membrane. These results allowed us to propose a dynamic model for the membrane association, processing, and structural organization of NS3-4A on the membrane. This model has implications for the functional architecture of the HCV replication complex, proteolytic targeting of host factors, and drug design.
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