New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome encodes a long polyprotein, which is processed by host cell and viral proteases to the individual structural and non-structural (NS) proteins. HCV NS3/4A serine proteinase (NS3/4A) is a non-covalent heterodimer of the N-terminal, ∼180-residue portion of the 631-res...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sergey A Shiryaev, Elliot R Thomsen, Piotr Cieplak, Eugene Chudin, Anton V Cheltsov, Mark S Chee, Igor A Kozlov, Alex Y Strongin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3338790?pdf=render
_version_ 1819070422600122368
author Sergey A Shiryaev
Elliot R Thomsen
Piotr Cieplak
Eugene Chudin
Anton V Cheltsov
Mark S Chee
Igor A Kozlov
Alex Y Strongin
author_facet Sergey A Shiryaev
Elliot R Thomsen
Piotr Cieplak
Eugene Chudin
Anton V Cheltsov
Mark S Chee
Igor A Kozlov
Alex Y Strongin
author_sort Sergey A Shiryaev
collection DOAJ
description The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome encodes a long polyprotein, which is processed by host cell and viral proteases to the individual structural and non-structural (NS) proteins. HCV NS3/4A serine proteinase (NS3/4A) is a non-covalent heterodimer of the N-terminal, ∼180-residue portion of the 631-residue NS3 protein with the NS4A co-factor. NS3/4A cleaves the polyprotein sequence at four specific regions. NS3/4A is essential for viral replication and has been considered an attractive drug target.Using a novel multiplex cleavage assay and over 2,660 peptide sequences derived from the polyprotein and from introducing mutations into the known NS3/4A cleavage sites, we obtained the first detailed fingerprint of NS3/4A cleavage preferences. Our data identified structural requirements illuminating the importance of both the short-range (P1-P1') and long-range (P6-P5) interactions in defining the NS3/4A substrate cleavage specificity. A newly observed feature of NS3/4A was a high frequency of either Asp or Glu at both P5 and P6 positions in a subset of the most efficient NS3/4A substrates. In turn, aberrations of this negatively charged sequence such as an insertion of a positively charged or hydrophobic residue between the negatively charged residues resulted in inefficient substrates. Because NS5B misincorporates bases at a high rate, HCV constantly mutates as it replicates. Our analysis revealed that mutations do not interfere with polyprotein processing in over 5,000 HCV isolates indicating a pivotal role of NS3/4A proteolysis in the virus life cycle.Our multiplex assay technology in light of the growing appreciation of the role of proteolytic processes in human health and disease will likely have widespread applications in the proteolysis research field and provide new therapeutic opportunities.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T17:05:41Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ca81c0a6bd9c4369b391199e462f4705
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T17:05:41Z
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-ca81c0a6bd9c4369b391199e462f47052022-12-21T18:56:32ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0174e3575910.1371/journal.pone.0035759New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.Sergey A ShiryaevElliot R ThomsenPiotr CieplakEugene ChudinAnton V CheltsovMark S CheeIgor A KozlovAlex Y StronginThe hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome encodes a long polyprotein, which is processed by host cell and viral proteases to the individual structural and non-structural (NS) proteins. HCV NS3/4A serine proteinase (NS3/4A) is a non-covalent heterodimer of the N-terminal, ∼180-residue portion of the 631-residue NS3 protein with the NS4A co-factor. NS3/4A cleaves the polyprotein sequence at four specific regions. NS3/4A is essential for viral replication and has been considered an attractive drug target.Using a novel multiplex cleavage assay and over 2,660 peptide sequences derived from the polyprotein and from introducing mutations into the known NS3/4A cleavage sites, we obtained the first detailed fingerprint of NS3/4A cleavage preferences. Our data identified structural requirements illuminating the importance of both the short-range (P1-P1') and long-range (P6-P5) interactions in defining the NS3/4A substrate cleavage specificity. A newly observed feature of NS3/4A was a high frequency of either Asp or Glu at both P5 and P6 positions in a subset of the most efficient NS3/4A substrates. In turn, aberrations of this negatively charged sequence such as an insertion of a positively charged or hydrophobic residue between the negatively charged residues resulted in inefficient substrates. Because NS5B misincorporates bases at a high rate, HCV constantly mutates as it replicates. Our analysis revealed that mutations do not interfere with polyprotein processing in over 5,000 HCV isolates indicating a pivotal role of NS3/4A proteolysis in the virus life cycle.Our multiplex assay technology in light of the growing appreciation of the role of proteolytic processes in human health and disease will likely have widespread applications in the proteolysis research field and provide new therapeutic opportunities.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3338790?pdf=render
spellingShingle Sergey A Shiryaev
Elliot R Thomsen
Piotr Cieplak
Eugene Chudin
Anton V Cheltsov
Mark S Chee
Igor A Kozlov
Alex Y Strongin
New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.
PLoS ONE
title New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.
title_full New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.
title_fullStr New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.
title_full_unstemmed New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.
title_short New details of HCV NS3/4A proteinase functionality revealed by a high-throughput cleavage assay.
title_sort new details of hcv ns3 4a proteinase functionality revealed by a high throughput cleavage assay
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3338790?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT sergeyashiryaev newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT elliotrthomsen newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT piotrcieplak newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT eugenechudin newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT antonvcheltsov newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT markschee newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT igorakozlov newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay
AT alexystrongin newdetailsofhcvns34aproteinasefunctionalityrevealedbyahighthroughputcleavageassay