Identification and characterization of amphiphysin II as a novel cellular interaction partner of the hepatitis C virus NS5A protein

J Gen Virol. 2003 Mar;84(Pt 3):555-560. doi: 10.1099/vir.0.18801-0.

Abstract

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A protein is highly phosphorylated by cellular protein kinases. To study how NS5A might be integrated in cellular kinase signalling, we isolated phosphoproteins from HuH-7 hepatoma cells that specifically interacted with recombinant NS5A protein. Subsequent mass spectrometry identified the adaptor protein amphiphysin II as a novel interaction partner of NS5A. Mutational analysis revealed that complex formation is primarily mediated by a proline-rich region in the C-terminal part of NS5A, which interacts with the amphiphysin II Src homology 3 domain. Importantly, we could further demonstrate specific co-precipitation and cellular co-localization of endogenous amphiphysin II with NS5A in HuH-7 cells carrying a persistently replicating subgenomic HCV replicon. Although the NS5A-amphiphysin II interaction appeared to be dispensable for replication of these HCV RNAs in cell culture, our results indicate that NS5A-amphiphysin II complex formation might be of physiological relevance for the HCV life cycle.

MeSH terms

  • Cytoplasm / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Hepacivirus / chemistry
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Leucine Zippers
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase 11
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proline
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / chemistry
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / genetics
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Replicon
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / metabolism*
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • amphiphysin
  • Proline
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases
  • NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus
  • RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase