Hepatitis C virus NS5A protein is a substrate for the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase activity of cyclophilins A and B

J Biol Chem. 2009 May 15;284(20):13589-13601. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M809244200. Epub 2009 Mar 18.

Abstract

We report here a biochemical and structural characterization of domain 2 of the nonstructural 5A protein (NS5A) from the JFH1 Hepatitis C virus strain and its interactions with cyclophilins A and B (CypA and CypB). Gel filtration chromatography, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and finally NMR spectroscopy all indicate the natively unfolded nature of this NS5A-D2 domain. Because mutations in this domain have been linked to cyclosporin A resistance, we used NMR spectroscopy to investigate potential interactions between NS5A-D2 and cellular CypA and CypB. We observed a direct molecular interaction between NS5A-D2 and both cyclophilins. The interaction surface on the cyclophilins corresponds to their active site, whereas on NS5A-D2, it proved to be distributed over the many proline residues of the domain. NMR heteronuclear exchange spectroscopy yielded direct evidence that many proline residues in NS5A-D2 form a valid substrate for the enzymatic peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity of CypA and CypB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cyclophilin A / chemistry*
  • Cyclophilin A / genetics
  • Cyclophilin A / metabolism
  • Cyclophilins / chemistry*
  • Cyclophilins / genetics
  • Cyclophilins / metabolism
  • Hepacivirus / chemistry*
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Protein Binding / physiology
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / physiology
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / chemistry*
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • cyclophilin B
  • NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus
  • Cyclophilin A
  • Cyclophilins