Hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 5A

Nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) is a zinc-binding and proline-rich hydrophilic phosphoprotein that plays a key role in Hepatitis C virus RNA replication.

[3] NS5A is derived from a large polyprotein that is translated from the HCV genome, and undergoes post-translation processing by nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) viral protease.

[6][7][8][9] It has been predicted that the N-terminal 30 aa of NS5A form an amphipathic α-helix with a highly preserved feature, which is essential to modulate the association between NS5A and ER membrane.

Because NS5A exerts functionally essential effects in regulation of viral replication, assembly and egress, it has been considered a potential drug target for antiviral therapeutic intervention.

[1] Therefore, NS5A related researches would have important implications in single molecule drug design and pegIFN-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combination therapies.