Function of nonstructural 5A protein of genotype 2a in replication and infection of HCV with gene substitution

AIM:To explore the function of Nonstructural 5A(NS5A) protein of genotype 2a(JFH1)in the replication and infection of hepatitis C virus(HCV).METHODS:Intergenotypic chimera FL-J6JFH/J4NS5A was constructed by inserting NS5A gene from 1b stain HC-J4 by the overlapping polymerase chain reaction (PCR)method and the restriction enzyme reaction.In vitro RNA transcripts of chimera,prototype J6JFH and negative control J6JFH1(GND)were prepared and transfected into Huh-7.5 cells with liposomes.Immunofluorescence assay(IFA),fluorescence quantitative PCR and infection assay were performed to determine the protein expression and gene replication in Huh-7.5 cells.RESULTS:The HCV RNA levels in FL-J6JFH/J4NS5A chimera RNA transfected cells were significantly lower than the wild type at any indicated time point(2.58 ±5.97×106 vs 4.27±1.72×104,P=0.032).The maximal level of HCV RNA in chimera was 5.6±1.8× 104 GE/μg RNA at day 34 after transfection,while the wild type reached a peak level at day 13 which was 126 folds higher(70.65±14.11×105 vs 0.56±0.90 ×105,P=0.028).HCV proteins could also be detected by IFA in chimera-transfected cells with an obviously low level.Infection assay showed that FL-J6JFH/J4NS5A chimera could produce infectious virus particles,ranging from 10±5 ffu/mL to 78.3±23.6 ffu/mL,while that of FL-J6JFH1 ranged from 5.8±1.5×102 ffu/mL to 2.5±1.4×104 ffu/mL.CONCLUSION:JFH1 NS5A might play an important role in the robust replication of J6JFH1.The establishment of FL-J6JFH/J4NS5A provided a useful platform for studying the function of other proteins of HCV.