Specific sequence of a Beta turn in human la protein may contribute to species specificity of hepatitis C virus.

ABSTRACT:

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Human La protein is known to be an essential host factor for translation and replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA. Previously, we have demonstrated that residues responsible for interaction of human La protein with the HCV internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) around the initiator AUG within stem-loop IV form a β-turn in the RNA recognition motif (RRM) structure. In this study, sequence alignment and mutagenesis suggest that the HCV RNA-interacting β-turn is conserved only in humans and chimpanzees, the species primarily known to be infected by HCV. A 7-mer peptide corresponding to the HCV RNA-interacting region of human La inhibits HCV translation, whereas another peptide corresponding to the mouse La sequence was unable to do so. Furthermore, IRES-mediated transla

SUBMITTER: Kumar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3993764 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature