The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) NS3 protein contains amino acid motifs of a serine proteinase, a nucleotide triphosphatase (NTPase), and an RNA helicase. A carboxy fragment of the HCV NS3 protein was purified and possessed RNA helicase activity. Detections from the amino terminus resulted in the protein becoming soluble. Deletions from the carboxy terminus do not result in a loss of helicase activity until at least 50 amino acids are deleted. The helicase activity requires ATP and divalent cations such as Mg.sup.2+ and Mn.sup.2+. The helicase activity was blocked by monoclonal antibody specific to the HCV NS3 protein.
丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)
NS3蛋白包含
丝氨酸蛋白酶、核苷酸
三磷酸酶(NTPase)和RNA解旋酶的
氨基酸基序列。HCV 蛋白的羧基片段被纯化并具有RNA解旋酶活性。从
氨基端检测结果导致蛋白质变得可溶。从羧基端进行缩短,直到删除至少50个
氨基酸才不会导致解旋酶活性丧失。解旋酶活性需要
ATP和二价阳离子,如Mg.sup.2+和Mn.sup.2+。单克隆
抗体特异性地阻断了HCV 蛋白的解旋酶活性。