Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 7
RNA Replication of Hepatitis C Virus
Hideki Aizaki
†
and Tetsuro Suzuki
*
,†
A precursor polyprotein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is processed by host sig-
nalases and viral proteases into at least ten matured proteins. Nonstructural
proteins, the NS2-3 protease, the NS3 serine protease, the NS3 helicase,
and the NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase function in the polypro-
tein processing and viral replication. Although studies on HCV replication
have been hampered by the absence of a productive cell culture system,
establishment of cell cultures that are highly permissive for replication of
subgenomic and full-length HCV RNAs has opened new avenues to study
the initiation of the viral replication. The use of the culture system has
recently generated considerable information on HCV RNA replication, and
as a result the formation of an intracellular membrane-associated replication
complex (RC) composed of viral and cellular proteins as well as replicating
RNA is proposed. Intensive research is being carried out to understand the
cellular pathways for HCV RC formation and its biochemical function.
Introduction
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most important causative agent of
posttransfusion and sporadic non-A, non-B hepatitis. It is a positive-
stranded RNA virus belonging to
Flaviviridae
, genus
Hepacivirus
,
approximately 9.6 kb in length. Persistent infection with HCV is
*Corresponding author.
†
Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama,
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
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