• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제20권3호
• /
• pp.301-306
• /
• 1999

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been known to be an enveloped virus with a positive strand RNA genome and the major agent of the vast majority of transfusion associated cases of hepatitis. For viral replication, HCV structural proteins are first processed by host cell signal peptidases and NS2/NS3 site of the nonstructural protein is cleaved by a zinc-dependent protease NS2 with N-terminal NS3. The four remaining junctions are cleaved by a separate NS3 protease. The solution conformations of NS4B/5A, NS5A/5B substrates and NS5A/5B inhibitor have been determined by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NMR data suggested that the both NS5A/5B substrate and inhibitor appeared to have a folded tum-like conformation not only between P1 and P6 position but also C-terminal region, whereas the NS4B/5A substrate exhibited mostly extended conformation. In addition, we have found that the conformation of the NS5A/5B inhibitor slightly differs from that of NS5A/5B substrate peptide, suggesting different binding mode for NS3 protease. These findings will be of importance for designing efficient inhibitor to suppress HCV processing.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제30권11호
• /
• pp.1651-1658
• /
• 2020

Since Zika virus (ZIKV) was first detected in Uganda in 1947, serious outbreaks have occurred globally in Yap Island, French Polynesia and Brazil. Even though the number of infections and spread of ZIKV have risen sharply, the pathogenesis and replication mechanisms of ZIKV have not been well studied. ZIKV, a recently highlighted Flavivirus, is a mosquito-borne emerging virus causing microcephaly and the Guillain-Barre syndrome in fetuses and adults, respectively. ZIKV polyprotein consists of three structural proteins named C, prM and E and seven nonstructural proteins named NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5 in an 11-kb single-stranded positive sense RNA genome. The function of individual ZIKV genes on the host innate immune response has barely been studied. In this study, we investigated the modulations of the NF-κB promoter activity induced by the MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway. According to our results, two nonstructural proteins, NS2A and NS4A, dramatically suppressed the NF-κB promoter activity by inhibiting signaling factors involved in the MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway. Interestingly, NS2A suppressed all components of MDA5/RIG-I signaling pathway, but NS4A inhibited most signaling molecules, except IKKε and IRF3-5D. In addition, both NS2A and NS4A downregulated MDA5-induced NF-κB promoter activity in a dosedependent manner. Taken together, our results suggest that NS2A and NS4A signifcantly antagonize MDA5/RIG-I-mediated NF-κB production, and these proteins seem to be controlled by different mechanisms. This study could help understand the mechanisms of how ZIKV controls innate immune responses and may also assist in the development of ZIKV-specific therapeutics.

• 미생물학회지
• /
• 제47권3호
• /
• pp.188-193
• /
• 2011

C형 간염바이러스(hepatitis C virus; HCV) 증식을 효과적이며 특이적으로 제어할 수 있는 유전산물로서, HCV 증식조절인자인 NS5B RNA replicase 존재에 의해 allosteric하게 활성이 유도될 수 있는 HCV internal ribosome entry site (IRES) 표적 hammerhead 리보자임을 개발하였다. 이러한 리보자임은 HCV IRES 염기서열 중 +382 nucleotide 자리를 인지하는 hammerhead 리보자임, NS5B RNA replicase와 특이적으로 결합하는 RNA aptamer 부위, 그리고 aptamer와 NS5B와의 결합에 의해 리보자임 활성을 유도할 수 있도록 구조적 변이를 전달할 수 있는 communication module 부위 등으로 구성되어 있다. 이러한 allosteric 리보자임에 의해 세포 배양에서 HCV의 replicon 복제가 효과적으로 억제됨을 실시간 PCR 분석을 통하여 관찰하였다. 특히, HCV 지놈을 표적하는 리보자임 단독, 또는 HCV NS5B에 대한 RNA aptamer 단독에 의한 HCV 복제 억제능보다 allosteric 리보자임에 의한 HCV 복제 억제능이 더 뛰어났다. 따라서 개발된 allosteric 리보자임은 HCV 증식의 효과적인 증식 억제 선도물질로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.330-336
• /
• 2006

Since its identification in 1989, hepatitis C virus has been the subject of extensive research. The biology of the virus and the development of antiviral drugs are closely related. The RNA polymerase activity of nonstructural protein 5B was first demonstrated in 1996. NS5B is believed to localize to the perinuclear region, forming a replicase complex with other viral proteins. It has a typical polymerase structure with thumb, palm, and finger domains encircling the active site. A de novo replication initiation mechanism has been suggested. To date, many small molecule inhibitors are known including nucleoside analogues, non-nucleoside analogues, and pyrophosphate mimics. NS5B interacts with other viral proteins such as core, NS3, 4A, 4B, and 5A. The helicase activity of NS3 seems necessary for RNA strand unwinding during replication, with other nonstructural proteins performing modulatory roles. Cellular proteins interacting with NS5B include VAMP-associated proteins, heIF4AII, hPLIC1, nucleolin, PRK2, ${\alpha}$-actinin, and p68 helicase. The interactions of NS5B with these proteins might play roles in cellular trafficking, signal transduction, and RNA polymerization, as well as the regulation of replication/translation processes.

• 미생물학회지
• /
• 제43권3호
• /
• pp.159-165
• /
• 2007

C형 간염바이러스(hepatitis C virus; HCV)증식을 효과적이며 특이적으로 제어할 수 있는 유전산물을 개발하기 위하여 HCV 중식조절이자인 NS5B RNA replicase 존재에 의해 allosteric하게 그 활성 이 조절될 수 있는 HCV internal ribosome entry site (IRES) 표적 hammerhead 리보자임을 개발하였다. 우선 HCV IRES 염기서열 중+382 nucleotide(nt) 부위가 리보자임에 의해 가장 잘 인식되었음을 관찰하였다. 이러한 allosteric 리보자임은 NS5B RNA replicase와 특이적으로 결합하는 RNA aptamer 부위, aptamer와 NS5B와의 결합에 의해 리보자임 활성을 유도할 수 있도록 구조적 변이를 전달할 수 있는 communication module부위 및 HCV IRES의 +382 nt를 인지하는 hammerhead 리보자임 등으로 구성되도록 설계하였다. 특히 in vitro selection기법을 활용하여 NS5B 의존적으로 리보자임 활성을 증가시킬 수 있는 communication module 염기서열을 밝혀내었다. 이러한 리보자임은 단백질이 없거나 대조 단백질인 bovine serum albumin이 존재할 때에는 절단반응을 유도하지 못하였으나 HCV NS5B 단백질이 존재할 매에만 효과적으로 NS5B 농도 의존적으로 절단 반응을 유도할 수 있음을 관찰하였다. 이러한 allosteric 리보자임은 HCV중식의 효과적인 증식 억제 선도물질 뿐만 아니라 HCV 치료선도물질의 스크리닝용 도구 및 HCV 조절 인자를 탐색할 수 있는 HCV 진단용 리간드로서도 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.285-291
• /
• 2005

The nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is the essential catalytic enzyme for the viral replication and is an appealing target for the development of new therapeutic agents against HCV infection. A small amount of serum from a single patient with hepatitis C was used to get the genome of a Korean HCV isolate. Sequence analysis of NS5B 1701 nucleotides showed the genotype of a Korean isolate to be subtype 1b. The soluble recombinant HCV NS5B polymerase lacking the C-terminal 24 amino acids was expressed and purified to homogeneity. With the highly purified NS5B protein, we established in vitro systems for RdRp activity to identify potential polymerase inhibitors. The rhodanine family compounds were found to be potent and specific inhibitors of NS5B from high throughput screening (HTS) assay utilizing the scintillation proximity assay (SPA) system. The binding mode of an inhibitor was analyzed by measuring various kinetic parameters. Lineweaver-Burk plots of the inhibitor suggested it binds not to the active site of NS5B polymerase, but to an allosteric site of the enzyme. The activity of NS5B in in vitro polymerase reactions with homopolymeric RNA requires interaction with multiple substrates that include a template/primer and ribonucleotide triphosphate. Steady-state kinetic parameter, such as Km, was determined for the ribonucleotide triphosphate. One of compounds found interacts directly with the viral polymerase and inhibits RNA synthesis in a manner noncompetitively with respect to UTP. Furthermore, we also investigated the ability of the compound to inhibit NS5B-directed viral RNA replication using the Huh7 cell-based HCV replicon system. The investigation is potentially very useful for the utility of such compounds as anti-hepatitic agents.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
• /
• 제36권4호
• /
• pp.353-359
• /
• 2008

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known as the causative agent of blood transmitted hepatitis. Two viral proteins, E2 and NS5A, are known to exert interferon resistance of HCV via PKR pathway. Here, we report a third protein, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5B) of HCV, induced interferon resistance inhibiting p56 pathway. p56 was shown to interact with p48 subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 3 (eIF3). This interaction inhibited formation of ternary complex in translation initiation. Using dual reporter assay system, we observed that the translation decreased when interferon alpha was added to the culture. But, in the presence of HCV NS5B, the translation partly recovered. NS5B and p48 subunit of eIF3 were shown to interact. This interaction seems to inhibit the interaction between p48 and p56. This is the first report that a virus exerts interferon resistance via p56 pathway.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제33권1호
• /
• pp.59-62
• /
• 2000

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5B (NS5B) protein is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). To determine whether it can contribute to viral replication by interaction with cellular proteins, the yeast two-hybrid screening system was employed to screen a human liver cDNA library. Using the HCV NS5B as a bait, we have isolated positive clones encoding a cellular protein. The NS5B interacting protein, 5BIP, is a novel cellular protein of 170 amino acids. Interaction of the HCV NS5B protein with 5BIP was confirmed by a protein-protein blotting assay. Recently, we have demonstrated that NS5B possesses an RdRp activity and thus it is possible that 5BIP, in association with NS5B, plays a role in HCV replication.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제33권4호
• /
• pp.294-299
• /
• 2000

Proteolytic processing of the dengue virus serotype 2 polyprotein precursor is catalyzed by a host signal peptidase and a virus encoded two-component protease consisting of the nonstructural proteins, NS2B and NS3. We expressed in Escherichia coli the NS2B, NS3(pro) and NS2B-NS3 proteins from the dengue virus type 2 strain 16681 as N-terminal fusions with a hexahistidine affinity tag under the control of the inducible trc promoter. All fusion proteins were purified to >90% purity by detergent extraction of inclusion bodies and a single step metal chelate chromatography. Proteins were refolded on-column and recovered with yields of 0.5, 6.0 and 1.0 mg/l of E. coli culture that was grown to $OD_{600}=1.0$ for NS2B, NS3(pro) and NS2B-NS3, respectively. Purified proteins gave strong signals in Western blots using $Ni^{2+}-nitrilotriacetic$ acid as a probe for the presence of the polyHis tag. During the purification process, $(His)_{6}NS2B-NS3$ was apparently not autoproteolytically cleaved at the NS2B/NS3 site.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제35권2호
• /
• pp.206-212
• /
• 2002

The NS2B-NS3(pro) polyprotein segment from the dengue virus serotype 2 strain 16681 was purified from overexpressing E. coli by metal chelate affinity chromatography and gel filtration. Enzymatic activity of the refolded NS2B-NS3(pro) protease complex was determined in vitro with dansyl-labeled peptide substrates, based upon native dengue virus type 2 cleavage sites. The 12mer substrate peptides and the cleavage products could be separated by reversed-phase HPLC, and were identified by UV and fluorescence detection. All of the peptide substrates (representing the DEN polyprotein junction sequences at the NS2A/NS2B, NS2B/NS3, NS3/NS4A and NS4B/NS5 sites) were cleaved by the recombinant protease NS2B-NS3(pro). No cleavage was observed with an enzymatically inactive S135A mutant of the NS3 protein, or with a modified substrate peptide of the NS3/NS4A polyprotein site that contained a K2093A substitution. Enzymatic activity was dependent on the salt concentration. A 50% decrease of activity was observed in the presence of 0.1M sodium chloride. Our results show that the NS3 protease activity of the refolded NS2B-NS3(pro) protein can be assayed in vitro with high specificity by using cleavage-junction derived peptide substrates.