scholarly journals The NS4A Protein of Hepatitis C Virus Promotes RNA-Coupled ATP Hydrolysis by the NS3 Helicase

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (7) ◽  
pp. 3268-3275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudolf K. F. Beran ◽  
Brett D. Lindenbach ◽  
Anna Marie Pyle
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Serine Protease ◽  
Protease Activity ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Helicase Activity ◽  
Protease Domain

ABSTRACT Nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) is an essential replicative component of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and a member of the DExH/D-box family of proteins. The C-terminal region of NS3 (NS3hel) exhibits RNA-stimulated NTPase and helicase activity, while the N-terminal serine protease domain of NS3 enhances RNA binding and unwinding by NS3hel. The nonstructural protein 4A (NS4A) binds to the NS3 protease domain and serves as an obligate cofactor for NS3 serine protease activity. Given its role in stimulating protease activity, we sought to determine whether NS4A also influences the activity of NS3hel. Here we show that NS4A enhances the ability of NS3hel to bind RNA in the presence of ATP, thereby acting as a cofactor for helicase activity. This effect is mediated by amino acids in the C-terminal acidic domain of NS4A. When these residues are mutated, one observes drastic reductions in ATP-coupled RNA binding and duplex unwinding by NS3. These same mutations are lethal in HCV replicons, thereby establishing in vitro and in vivo that NS4A plays an important role in the helicase mechanism of NS3 and its function in replication.

scholarly journals Phenotypic Characterization of Resistant Val36 Variants of Hepatitis C Virus NS3-4A Serine Protease

2007 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Doug J. Bartels ◽  
Brian L. Hanzelka ◽  
Ute Müh ◽  
Yunyi Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Serine Protease ◽  
Phenotypic Characterization ◽  
Replication Capacity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Protease Domain

ABSTRACT In patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) strains of genotype 1, rapid and dramatic antiviral activity has been observed with telaprevir (VX-950), a highly selective and potent inhibitor of the HCV NS3-4A serine protease. HCV variants with substitutions in the NS3 protease domain were observed in some patients during telaprevir dosing. In this study, purified protease domain proteins and reconstituted HCV subgenomic replicons were used for phenotypic characterization of many of these substitutions. V36A/M or T54A substitutions conferred less than eightfold resistance to telaprevir. Variants with double substitutions at Val36 plus Thr54 had ∼20-fold resistance to telaprevir, and variants with double substitutions at Val36 plus Arg155 or Ala156 had >40-fold resistance to telaprevir. An X-ray structure of the HCV strain H protease domain containing the V36M substitution in a cocomplex with an NS4A cofactor peptide was solved at a 2.4-Å resolution. Except for the side chain of Met36, the V36M variant structure is identical to that of the wild-type apoenzyme. The in vitro replication capacity of most variants was significantly lower than that of the wild-type replicon in cells, which is consistent with the impaired in vivo fitness estimated from telaprevir-dosed patients. Finally, the sensitivity of these replicon variants to alpha interferon or ribavirin remained unchanged compared to that of the wild-type.

scholarly journals Preclinical Profile and Clinical Efficacy of a Novel Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Inhibitor, EDP-239

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 6207-6215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Owens ◽  
Bradley B. Brasher ◽  
Alex Polemeropoulos ◽  
Michael H. J. Rhodin ◽  
Nicole McAllister ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Genotype 1A ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Properties ◽  
Direct Acting

ABSTRACTEDP-239, a novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) inhibitor targeting nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A), has been investigatedin vitroandin vivo. EDP-239 is a potent, selective inhibitor with potency at picomolar to nanomolar concentrations against HCV genotypes 1 through 6. In the presence of human serum, the potency of EDP-239 was reduced by less than 4-fold. EDP-239 is additive to synergistic with other direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) or host-targeted antivirals (HTAs) in blocking HCV replication and suppresses the selection of resistancein vitro. Furthermore, EDP-239 retains potency against known DAA- or HTA-resistant variants, with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50s) equivalent to those for the wild type. In a phase I, single-ascending-dose, placebo-controlled clinical trial, EDP-239 demonstrated excellent pharmacokinetic properties that supported once daily dosing. A single 100-mg dose of EDP-239 resulted in reductions in HCV genotype 1a viral RNA of >3 log10IU/ml within the first 48 h after dosing and reductions in genotype 1b viral RNA of >4-log10IU/ml within 96 h. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01856426.)

scholarly journals Effect of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) NS5B-Nucleolin Interaction on HCV Replication with HCV Subgenomic Replicon

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 3332-3340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuro Shimakami ◽  
Masao Honda ◽  
Takashi Kusakawa ◽  
Takayuki Murata ◽  
Kunitada Shimotohno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Polymerase Activity ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Huh7 Cells ◽  
Hcv Ns5b

ABSTRACT We previously reported that nucleolin, a representative nucleolar marker, interacts with nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) through two independent regions of NS5B, amino acids 208 to 214 and 500 to 506. We also showed that truncated nucleolin that harbors the NS5B-binding region inhibited the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of NS5B in vitro, suggesting that nucleolin may be involved in HCV replication. To address this question, we focused on NS5B amino acids 208 to 214. We constructed one alanine-substituted clustered mutant (CM) replicon, in which all the amino acids in this region were changed to alanine, as well as seven different point mutant (PM) replicons, each of which harbored an alanine substitution at one of the amino acids in the region. After transfection into Huh7 cells, the CM replicon and the PM replicon containing NS5B W208A could not replicate, whereas the remaining PM replicons were able to replicate. In vivo immunoprecipitation also showed that the W208 residue of NS5B was essential for its interaction with nucleolin, strongly suggesting that this interaction is essential for HCV replication. To gain further insight into the role of nucleolin in HCV replication, we utilized the small interfering RNA (siRNA) technique to investigate the knockdown effect of nucleolin on HCV replication. Cotransfection of replicon RNA and nucleolin siRNA into Huh7 cells moderately inhibited HCV replication, although suppression of nucleolin did not affect cell proliferation. Taken together, our findings strongly suggest that nucleolin is a host component that interacts with HCV NS5B and is indispensable for HCV replication.

scholarly journals Structure-Based Mutational Analysis of the Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Helicase

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (17) ◽  
pp. 8289-8297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Ling Tai ◽  
Wen-Ching Pan ◽  
Shwu-Huey Liaw ◽  
Ueng-Cheng Yang ◽  
Lih-Hwa Hwang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Atpase Activity ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Helicase Domain ◽  
Helicase Activity ◽  
Conserved Sequence

ABSTRACT The carboxyl terminus of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) possesses ATP-dependent RNA helicase activity. Based on the conserved sequence motifs and the crystal structures of the helicase domain, 17 mutants of the HCV NS3 helicase were generated. The ATP hydrolysis, RNA binding, and RNA unwinding activities of the mutant proteins were examined in vitro to determine the functional role of the mutated residues. The data revealed that Lys-210 in the Walker A motif and Asp-290, Glu-291, and His-293 in the Walker B motif were crucial to ATPase activity and that Thr-322 and Thr-324 in motif III and Arg-461 in motif VI significantly influenced ATPase activity. When the pairing between His-293 and Gln-460, referred to as gatekeepers, was replaced with the Asp-293/His-460 pair, which makes the NS3 helicase more like the DEAD helicase subgroup, ATPase activity was not restored. It thus indicated that the whole microenvironment surrounding the gatekeepers, rather than the residues per se, was important to the enzymatic activities. Arg-461 and Trp-501 are important residues for RNA binding, while Val-432 may only play a coadjutant role. The data demonstrated that RNA helicase activity was possibly abolished by the loss of ATPase activity or by reduced RNA binding activity. Nevertheless, a low threshold level of ATPase activity was found sufficient for helicase activity. Results in this study provide a valuable reference for efforts under way to develop anti-HCV therapeutic drugs targeting NS3.

scholarly journals All Three Domains of the Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural NS5A Protein Contribute to RNA Binding

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (18) ◽  
pp. 9267-9277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshana L. Foster ◽  
Tamara Belyaeva ◽  
Nicola J. Stonehouse ◽  
Arwen R. Pearson ◽  
Mark Harris
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Binding Capacity ◽  
Specific Interaction ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Positive Strand Rna

ABSTRACT The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein NS5A is critical for viral genome replication and is thought to interact directly with both the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, NS5B, and viral RNA. NS5A consists of three domains which have, as yet, undefined roles in viral replication and assembly. In order to define the regions that mediate the interaction with RNA, specifically the HCV 3′ untranslated region (UTR) positive-strand RNA, constructs of different domain combinations were cloned, bacterially expressed, and purified to homogeneity. Each of these purified proteins was probed for its ability to interact with the 3′ UTR RNA using filter binding and gel electrophoretic mobility shift assays, revealing differences in their RNA binding efficiencies and affinities. A specific interaction between domains I and II of NS5A and the 3′ UTR RNA was identified, suggesting that these are the RNA binding domains of NS5A. Domain III showed low in vitro RNA binding capacity. Filter binding and competition analyses identified differences between NS5A and NS5B in their specificities for defined regions of the 3′ UTR. The preference of NS5A, in contrast to NS5B, for the polypyrimidine tract highlights an aspect of 3′ UTR RNA recognition by NS5A which may play a role in the control or enhancement of HCV genome replication.

scholarly journals Preclinical and Clinical Resistance Profile of EDP-239, a Novel Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Inhibitor

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 6216-6226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Owens ◽  
Bradley B. Brasher ◽  
Alex Polemeropoulos ◽  
Michael H. J. Rhodin ◽  
Nicole McAllister ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Ns5a Inhibitor ◽  
Clinical Resistance ◽  
Ns5a Sequence

ABSTRACTEDP-239, a potent and selective hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) inhibitor developed for the treatment of HCV infection, has been investigatedin vitroandin vivo. This study sought to characterize genotypic changes in the HCV NS5A sequence of genotype 1 (GT1) replicons and to compare those changes to GT1 viral RNA mutations isolated from clinical trial patients. Resistance selection experimentsin vitrousing a subgenomic replicon identified resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) at GT1a NS5A amino acid positions 24, 28, 30, 31, and 93 that confer various degrees of resistance to EDP-239. Key RAMs were similarly identified in GT1b NS5A at amino acid positions 31 and 93. Mutations F36L in GT1a and A92V in GT1b do not confer resistance to EDP-239 individually but were found to enhance the resistance of GT1a K24R and GT1b Y93H. RAMs were identified in GT1 patients at baseline or after dosing with EDP-239 that were similar to those detectedin vitro. Baseline RAMs identified at NS5A position 93 in GT1, or positions 28 or 30 in GT1a only, correlated with a reduced treatment response. RAMs at additional positions were also detected and may have contributed to reduced EDP-239 efficacy. The most common GT1a and GT1b RAMs found to persist up to weeks 12, 24, or 48 were those at NS5A positions 28, 30, 31, 58 (GT1a only), and 93. Those RAMs persisting at the highest frequencies up to weeks 24 or 48 were L31M and Q30H/R for GT1a and L31M and Y93H for GT1b. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01856426.)

scholarly journals Analysis of hepatitis C virus resistance to silibinin in vitro and in vivo points to a novel mechanism involving nonstructural protein 4B

Hepatology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 953-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Esser-Nobis ◽  
Inés Romero-Brey ◽  
Tom M. Ganten ◽  
Jérôme Gouttenoire ◽  
Christian Harak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Virus Resistance ◽  
Nonstructural Protein

scholarly journals Virus-Specific Cofactor Requirement and Chimeric Hepatitis C Virus/GB Virus B Nonstructural Protein 3

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (9) ◽  
pp. 4291-4301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Butkiewicz ◽  
Nanhua Yao ◽  
Weidong Zhong ◽  
Jacquelyn Wright-Minogue ◽  
Paul Ingravallo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Protease Activity ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Protease Domain ◽  
Hcv Protease ◽  
Nonstructural Protein 3 ◽  
Ns3 Protease

ABSTRACT GB virus B (GBV-B) is closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and causes acute hepatitis in tamarins (Saguinus species), making it an attractive surrogate virus for in vivo testing of anti-HCV inhibitors in a small monkey model. It has been reported that the nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) serine protease of GBV-B shares similar substrate specificity with its counterpart in HCV. Authentic proteolytic processing of the HCV polyprotein junctions (NS4A/4B, NS4B/5A, and NS5A/5B) can be accomplished by the GBV-B NS3 protease in an HCV NS4A cofactor-independent fashion. We further characterized the protease activity of a full-length GBV-B NS3 protein and its cofactor requirement using in vitro-translated GBV-B substrates. Cleavages at the NS4A/4B and NS5A/5B junctions were readily detectable only in the presence of a cofactor peptide derived from the central region of GBV-B NS4A. Interestingly, the GBV-B substrates could also be cleaved by the HCV NS3 protease in an HCV NS4A cofactor-dependent manner, supporting the notion that HCV and GBV-B share similar NS3 protease specificity while retaining a virus-specific cofactor requirement. This finding of a strict virus-specific cofactor requirement is consistent with the lack of sequence homology in the NS4A cofactor regions of HCV and GBV-B. The minimum cofactor region that supported GBV-B protease activity was mapped to a central region of GBV-B NS4A (between amino acids Phe22 and Val36) which overlapped with the cofactor region of HCV. Alanine substitution analysis demonstrated that two amino acids, Val27 and Trp31, were essential for the cofactor activity, a finding reminiscent of the two critical residues in the HCV NS4A cofactor, Ile25 and Ile29. A model for the GBV-B NS3 protease domain and NS4A cofactor complex revealed that GBV-B might have developed a similar structural strategy in the activation and regulation of its NS3 protease activity. Finally, a chimeric HCV/GBV-B bifunctional NS3, consisting of an N-terminal HCV protease domain and a C-terminal GBV-B RNA helicase domain, was engineered. Both enzymatic activities were retained by the chimeric protein, which could lead to the development of a chimeric GBV-B virus that depends on HCV protease function.

scholarly journals Multiple Enzymatic Activities Associated with Recombinant NS3 Protein of Hepatitis C Virus

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (8) ◽  
pp. 6758-6769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Gallinari ◽  
Debra Brennan ◽  
Chiara Nardi ◽  
Mirko Brunetti ◽  
Licia Tomei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Synthetic Peptide ◽  
Protease Activity ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Enzymatic Activities ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Protease Domain ◽  
Ns3 Protein

ABSTRACT The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 3 protein (NS3) contains at least two domains associated with multiple enzymatic activities; a serine protease activity resides in the N-terminal one-third of the protein, whereas RNA helicase activity and RNA-stimulated nucleoside triphosphatase activity are associated with the C-terminal portion. To study the possible mutual influence of these enzymatic activities, a full-length NS3 polypeptide of 67 kDa was expressed as a nonfusion protein in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and shown to retain all three enzymatic activities. The protease activity of the full-length NS3 was strongly dependent on the activation by a synthetic peptide spanning the central hydrophobic core of the NS4A cofactor. Once complexed with the NS4A-derived peptide, the full-length NS3 protein and the isolated N-terminal protease domain cleaved synthetic peptide substrates with comparable efficiency. We show that, as in the case of the isolated protease domain, the protease activity of full-length NS3 undergoes inhibition by the N-terminal cleavage products of substrate peptides corresponding to the NS4A-NS4B and NS5A-NS5B. We have also characterized and quantified the NS3 ATPase, RNA helicase, and RNA-binding activities under optimized reaction conditions. Compared with the isolated N-terminal and C-terminal domains, recombinant full-length NS3 did not show significant differences in the three enzymatic activities analyzed in independent in vitro assays. We have further explored the possible interdependence of the NS3 N-terminal and C-terminal domains by analyzing the effect of polynucleotides on the modulation of all NS3 enzymatic functions. Our results demonstrated that the observed inhibition of the NS3 proteolytic activity by single-stranded RNA is mediated by direct interaction with the protease domain rather than with the helicase RNA-binding domain.

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