biostudies-literatureUnknown75(22)Yeh CTAlthough hepatitis C virus E2 protein can bind to human cells by interacting with a putative viral receptor, CD81, the interaction alone is not sufficient to establish permissiveness for hepatitis C virus infection. Using an Epstein-Barr virus-based extrachromosomal replication system, we have screened through a human liver cDNA library and successfully identified a cDNA capable of supporting hepatitis C virus replication in an otherwise nonpermissive cell line. This cDNA encodes a protein exhibiting homology to a group of proteins derived from various evolutionarily distant species, including Oryza sativa submergence-induced protein 2A. The mRNAs encoding this factor are heterogeneous at the 5' ends and are ubiquitously expressed in multiple tissues, albeit in a very small amount. The lonJournal of virology11017-24https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC114682biostudies-literatureIdentification of a hepatic factor capable of supporting hepatitis C virus replication in a nonpermissive cell line.PMC114682Chu CMLiaw YFLai HYChen TCYeh CTfalseIdentification of a hepatic factor capable of supporting hepatitis C virus replication in a nonpermissive cell line.Although hepatitis C virus E2 protein can bind to human cells by interacting with a putative viral receptor, CD81, the interaction alone is not sufficient to establish permissiveness for hepatitis C virus infection. Using an Epstein-Barr virus-based extrachromosomal replication system, we have screened through a human liver cDNA library and successfully identified a cDNA capable of supporting hepatitis C virus replication in an otherwise nonpermissive cell line. This cDNA encodes a protein exhibiting homology to a group of proteins derived from various evolutionarily distant species, including Oryza sativa submergence-induced protein 2A. The mRNAs encoding this factor are heterogeneous at the 5' ends and are ubiquitously expressed in multiple tissues, albeit in a very small amount. The lon2001-01-01T00:00:00Z2001 Nov2025-05-31T23:22:37.333Z2019-03-27T00:17:05ZS-EPMC1146821160274210.1128/jvi.75.22.11017-11024.200110.1128/JVI.75.22.11017-11024.2001