scholarly journals Serine Phosphorylation of the Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Protein Controls the Establishment of Replication Complexes

2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 3123-3135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Ross-Thriepland ◽  
Jamel Mankouri ◽  
Mark Harris
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Serine Phosphorylation ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Replication Complex ◽  
Ns5a Protein

ABSTRACTThe hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5A (NS5A) protein is highly phosphorylated and involved in both virus genome replication and virion assembly. We and others have identified serine 225 in NS5A to be a phosphorylation site, but the function of this posttranslational modification in the virus life cycle remains obscure. Here we describe the phenotype of mutants with mutations at serine 225; this residue was mutated to either alanine (S225A; phosphoablatant) or aspartic acid (S225D; phosphomimetic) in the context of both the JFH-1 cell culture infectious virus and a corresponding subgenomic replicon. The S225A mutant exhibited a 10-fold reduction in genome replication, whereas the S225D mutant replicated like the wild type. By confocal microscopy, we show that, in the case of the S225A mutant, the replication phenotype correlated with an altered subcellular distribution of NS5A. This phenotype was shared by viruses with other mutations in the low-complexity sequence I (LCS I), namely, S229D, S232A, and S235D, but not by viruses with mutations that caused a comparable replication defect that mapped to domain II of NS5A (P315A, L321A). Together with other components of the genome replication complex (NS3, double-stranded RNA, and cellular lipids, including phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate), the mutation in NS5A was restricted to a perinuclear region. This phenotype was not due to cell confluence or another environmental factor and could be partially transcomplemented by wild-type NS5A. We propose that serine phosphorylation within LCS I may regulate the assembly of an active genome replication complex.IMPORTANCEThe mechanisms by which hepatitis C virus replicates its RNA genome remain poorly characterized. We show here that phosphorylation of the viral nonstructural protein NS5A at serine residues is important for the efficient assembly of a complex that is able to replicate the viral genome. This research implicates cellular protein kinases in the control of virus replication and highlights the need to further understand the interplay between the virus and the host cell in order to develop potential avenues for future antiviral therapy.

scholarly journals Nucleotide requirements at positions +1 to +4 for the initiation of hepatitis C virus positive-strand RNA synthesis

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 1082-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Udvitha Nandasoma ◽  
Christopher McCormick ◽  
Stephen Griffin ◽  
Mark Harris
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Hammerhead Ribozyme ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Positive Strand ◽  
Positive Strand Rna

RNA virus genome replication requires initiation at the precise terminus of the template RNA. To investigate the nucleotide requirements for initiation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive-strand RNA replication, a hammerhead ribozyme was inserted at the 5′ end of an HCV subgenomic replicon, allowing the generation of replicons with all four possible nucleotides at position 1. This analysis revealed a preference for a purine nucleotide at this position for initiation of RNA replication. The sequence requirements at positions 2–4 in the context of the J6/JFH-1 virus were also examined by selecting replication-competent virus from a pool containing randomized residues at these positions. There was strong selection for both the wild-type cytosine at position 2, and the wild-type sequence at positions 2–4 (CCU). An adenine residue was well tolerated at positions 3 and 4, which suggests that efficient RNA replication is less dependent on these residues.

scholarly journals Serine 229 Balances the Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural Protein NS5A between Hypo- and Hyperphosphorylated States

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Ni Tsai ◽  
Ting-Chun Pan ◽  
Cho-Han Chiang ◽  
Chun-Chiao Yu ◽  
Shih-Han Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Feedback Regulation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Serine Residue ◽  
Large Structures ◽  
Phosphorylation Level ◽  
In The Wild

ABSTRACT The nonstructural protein NS5A of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a phosphorylated protein that is indispensable for viral replication and assembly. We previously showed that NS5A undergoes sequential serine S232/S235/S238 phosphorylation resulting in NS5A transition from a hypo- to a hyperphosphorylated state. Here, we studied functions of S229 with a newly generated antibody specific to S229 phosphorylation. In contrast to S232, S235, or S238 phosphorylation detected only in the hyperphosphorylated NS5A, S229 phosphorylation was found in both hypo- and hyperphosphorylated NS5A, suggesting that S229 phosphorylation initiates NS5A sequential phosphorylation. Immunoblotting showed an inverse relationship between S229 phosphorylation and S235 phosphorylation. When S235 was phosphorylated as in the wild-type NS5A, the S229 phosphorylation level was low; when S235 could not be phosphorylated as in the S235A mutant NS5A, the S229 phosphorylation level was high. These results suggest an intrinsic feedback regulation between S229 phosphorylation and S235 phosphorylation. It has been known that NS5A distributes in large static and small dynamic intracellular structures and that both structures are required for the HCV life cycle. We found that S229A or S229D mutation was lethal to the virus and that both increased NS5A in large intracellular structures. Similarly, the lethal S235A mutation also increased NS5A in large structures. Likewise, the replication-compromised S235D mutation also increased NS5A in large structures, albeit to a lesser extent. Our data suggest that S229 probably cycles through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation to maintain a delicate balance of NS5A between hypo- and hyperphosphorylated states and the intracellular distribution necessary for the HCV life cycle. IMPORTANCE This study joins our previous efforts to elucidate how NS5A transits between hypo- and hyperphosphorylated states via phosphorylation on a series of highly conserved serine residues. Of the serine residues, serine 229 is the most interesting since phosphorylation-mimicking and phosphorylation-ablating mutations at this serine residue are both lethal. With a new high-quality antibody specific to serine 229 phosphorylation, we concluded that serine 229 must remain wild type so that it can dynamically cycle through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation that govern NS5A between hypo- and hyperphosphorylated states. Both are required for the HCV life cycle. When phosphorylated, serine 229 signals phosphorylation on serine 232 and 235 in a sequential manner, leading NS5A to the hyperphosphorylated state. As serine 235 phosphorylation is reached, serine 229 is dephosphorylated, stopping signal for hyperphosphorylation. This balances NS5A between two phosphorylation states and in intracellular structures that warrant a productive HCV life cycle.

scholarly journals Identification of a Novel Determinant for Membrane Association in Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural Protein 4B

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 6257-6268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérôme Gouttenoire ◽  
Valérie Castet ◽  
Roland Montserret ◽  
Naveen Arora ◽  
Vincent Raussens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Attenuated Total Reflection ◽  
Membrane Extraction ◽  
Phospholipid Bilayer ◽  
Membrane Association ◽  
Acceptor Site ◽  
Replication Complex ◽  
Α Helix

ABSTRACT Nonstructural protein 4B (NS4B) plays an essential role in the formation of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication complex. It is a relatively poorly characterized integral membrane protein predicted to comprise four transmembrane segments in its central portion. Here, we describe a novel determinant for membrane association represented by amino acids (aa) 40 to 69 in the N-terminal portion of NS4B. This segment was sufficient to target and tightly anchor the green fluorescent protein to cellular membranes, as assessed by fluorescence microscopy as well as membrane extraction and flotation analyses. Circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance structural analyses showed that this segment comprises an amphipathic α-helix extending from aa 42 to 66. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy and glycosylation acceptor site tagging revealed that this amphipathic α-helix has the potential to traverse the phospholipid bilayer as a transmembrane segment, likely upon oligomerization. Alanine substitution of the fully conserved aromatic residues on the hydrophobic helix side abrogated membrane association of the segment comprising aa 40 to 69 and disrupted the formation of a functional replication complex. These results provide the first atomic resolution structure of an essential membrane-associated determinant of HCV NS4B.

scholarly journals Efficient Rescue of Hepatitis C Virus RNA Replication by trans-Complementation with Nonstructural Protein 5A

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 896-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Appel ◽  
Ulrike Herian ◽  
Ralf Bartenschlager
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Replication Complex ◽  
Diarrhea Virus ◽  
Amino Terminal ◽  
Essential Components

ABSTRACT Studies of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication have become possible with the development of subgenomic replicons. This system allows the functional analysis of the essential components of the viral replication complex, which so far are poorly defined. In the present study we wanted to investigate whether lethal mutations in HCV nonstructural genes can be rescued by trans-complementation. Therefore, a series of replicon RNAs carrying mutations in NS3, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B that abolish replication were transfected into Huh-7 hepatoma cells harboring autonomously replicating helper RNAs. Similar to data described for the Bovine viral diarrhea virus (C. W. Grassmann, O. Isken, N. Tautz, and S. E. Behrens, J. Virol. 75:7791-7802, 2001), we found that only NS5A mutants could be efficiently rescued. There was no evidence for RNA recombination between helper and mutant RNAs, and we did not observe reversions in the transfected mutants. Furthermore, we established a transient complementation assay based on the cotransfection of helper and mutant RNAs. Using this assay, we extended our results and demonstrated that (i) inactivating NS5A mutations affecting the amino-terminal amphipathic helix cannot be complemented in trans; (ii) replication of the helper RNA is not necessary to allow efficient trans-complementation; and (iii) the minimal sequence required for trans-complementation of lethal NS5A mutations is NS3 to -5A, whereas NS5A expressed alone does not restore RNA replication. In summary, our results provide the first insight into the functional organization of the HCV replication complex.

scholarly journals Hydrophobic and Charged Residues in the C-Terminal Arm of Hepatitis C Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Regulate Initiation and Elongation

2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 2052-2063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Cherry ◽  
Caitriona A. Dennis ◽  
Andrew Baron ◽  
Leslie E. Eisele ◽  
Pia A. Thommes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Primer Extension ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon

ABSTRACTThe RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is essential for viral genome replication. Crystal structures of the HCV RdRp reveal two C-terminal features, a β-loop and a C-terminal arm, suitably located for involvement in positioning components of the initiation complex. Here we show that these two elements intimately regulate template and nucleotide binding, initiation, and elongation. We constructed a series of β-loop and C-terminal arm mutants, which were used forin vitroanalysis of RdRpde novoinitiation and primer extension activities. All mutants showed a substantial decrease in initiation activities but a marked increase in primer extension activities, indicating an ability to form more stable elongation complexes with long primer-template RNAs. Structural studies of the mutants indicated that these enzyme properties might be attributed to an increased flexibility in the C-terminal features resulting in a more open polymerase cleft, which likely favors the elongation process but hampers the initiation steps. A UTP cocrystal structure of one mutant shows, in contrast to the wild-type protein, several alternate conformations of the substrate, confirming that even subtle changes in the C-terminal arm result in a more loosely organized active site and flexible binding modes of the nucleotide. We used a subgenomic replicon system to assess the effects of the same mutations on viral replication in cells. Even the subtlest mutations either severely impaired or completely abolished the ability of the replicon to replicate, further supporting the concept that the correct positioning of both the β-loop and C-terminal arm plays an essential role during initiation and in HCV replication in general.IMPORTANCEHCV RNA polymerase is a key target for the development of directly acting agents to cure HCV infections, which necessitates a thorough understanding of the functional roles of the various structural features of the RdRp. Here we show that even highly conservative changes, e.g., Tyr→Phe or Asp→Glu, in these seemingly peripheral structural features have profound effects on the initiation and elongation properties of the HCV polymerase.

scholarly journals Cochaperone Activity of Human Butyrate-Induced Transcript 1 Facilitates Hepatitis C Virus Replication through an Hsp90-Dependent Pathway

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (20) ◽  
pp. 10427-10436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuhei Taguwa ◽  
Hiroto Kambara ◽  
Hiroko Omori ◽  
Hideki Tani ◽  
Takayuki Abe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Heat Shock Protein 90 ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Replication Complex ◽  
Fk506 Binding Protein ◽  
Unfolded Protein ◽  
Hsp90 Chaperone ◽  
Protein Response

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) is a component of the replication complex consisting of several host and viral proteins. We have previously reported that human butyrate-induced transcript 1 (hB-ind1) recruits heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and FK506-binding protein 8 (FKBP8) to the replication complex through interaction with NS5A. To gain more insights into the biological functions of hB-ind1 in HCV replication, we assessed the potential cochaperone-like activity of hB-ind1, because it has significant homology with cochaperone p23, which regulates Hsp90 chaperone activity. The chimeric p23 in which the cochaperone domain was replaced with the p23-like domain of hB-ind1 exhibited cochaperone activity comparable to that of the authentic p23, inhibiting the glucocorticoid receptor signaling in an Hsp90-dependent manner. Conversely, the chimeric hB-ind1 in which the p23-like domain was replaced with the cochaperone domain of p23 resulted in the same level of recovery of HCV propagation as seen in the authentic hB-ind1 in cells with knockdown of the endogenous hB-ind1. Immunofluorescence analyses revealed that hB-ind1 was colocalized with NS5A, FKBP8, and double-stranded RNA in the HCV replicon cells. HCV replicon cells exhibited a more potent unfolded-protein response (UPR) than the parental and the cured cells upon treatment with an inhibitor for Hsp90. These results suggest that an Hsp90-dependent chaperone pathway incorporating hB-ind1 is involved in protein folding in the membranous web for the circumvention of the UPR and that it facilitates HCV replication.

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 Impact of a baseline polymorphism on the emergence of resistance to the hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 5a replication complex inhibitor, BMS-790052

Hepatology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 1692-1699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Hua Sun ◽  
Donald R. O'Boyle II ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Chunfu Wang ◽  
Peter Nower ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Replication Complex ◽  
Emergence Of Resistance ◽  
Nonstructural Protein 5A

scholarly journals Effect of Alpha Interferon on the Hepatitis C Virus Replicon

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (18) ◽  
pp. 8516-8523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ju-Tao Guo ◽  
Vadim V. Bichko ◽  
Christoph Seeger
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Viral Proteins ◽  
Alpha Interferon ◽  
Transduction Efficiency ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Huh7 Cells ◽  
Selection For ◽  
High Concentrations

ABSTRACT Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections can be cured only in a fraction of patients treated with alpha interferon (IFN-α) and ribavirin combination therapy. The mechanism of the IFN-α response against HCV is not understood, but evidence for a role for viral nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) in IFN resistance has been provided. To elucidate the mechanism by which NS5A and possibly other viral proteins inhibit the cellular antiviral program, we have constructed a subgenomic replicon from a known infectious HCV clone and demonstrated that it has an approximately 1,000-fold-higher transduction efficiency than previously used subgenomes. We found that IFN-α reduced replication of HCV subgenomic replicons approximately 10-fold. The estimated half-life of viral RNA in the presence of the cytokine was about 12 h. HCV replication was sensitive to IFN-α independently of whether the replicon expressed an NS5A protein associated with sensitivity or resistance to the cytokine. Furthermore, our results indicated that HCV replicons can persist in Huh7 cells in the presence of high concentrations of IFN-α. Finally, under our conditions, selection for IFN-α-resistant variants did not occur.

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