Hepatitis C virus NS2 coordinates virus particle assembly through physical interactions with the E1-E2 glycoprotein and NS3-NS4A enzyme complexes.

ABSTRACT: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS2 protein is essential for particle assembly, but its function in this process is unknown. We previously identified critical genetic interactions between NS2 and the viral E1-E2 glycoprotein and NS3-NS4A enzyme complexes. Based on these data, we hypothesized that interactions between these viral proteins are essential for HCV particle assembly. To identify interaction partners of NS2, we developed methods to site-specifically biotinylate NS2 in vivo and affinity capture NS2-containing protein complexes from virus-producing cells with streptavidin magnetic beads. By using these methods, we confirmed that NS2 physically interacts with E1, E2, and NS3 but did not stably interact with viral core or NS5A proteins. We further characterized these protein complexes by

SUBMITTER: Stapleford KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3028914 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature