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Journal of Virology, January 2003, p. 1578-1583, Vol. 77, No. 2
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.2.1578-1583.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Hepatitis C Virus F Protein Is a Short-Lived Protein Associated with the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Zhenming Xu, Jinah Choi, Wen Lu, and Jing-hsiung Ou*

Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90033-1054

Received 5 September 2002/ Accepted 17 October 2002

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) F protein is a newly discovered HCV gene product that is expressed by translational ribosomal frameshift. Little is known about the biological properties of this protein. By performing pulse-chase labeling experiments, we demonstrate here that the F protein is a labile protein with a half-life of <10 min in Huh7 hepatoma cells and in vitro. The half-life of the F protein could be substantially increased by proteasome inhibitors, suggesting that the rapid degradation of the F protein is mediated by the proteasome pathway. Further immunofluorescence staining and subcellular fractionation experiments indicate that the F protein is primarily associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. This subcellular localization is similar to those of HCV core and NS5A proteins, raising the possibility that the F protein may participate in HCV morphogenesis or replication.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, 2011 Zonal Ave., HMR-401, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Phone: (323) 442-1720. Fax: (323) 442-1721. E-mail: jamesou{at}hsc.usc.edu.

Journal of Virology, January 2003, p. 1578-1583, Vol. 77, No. 2
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.2.1578-1583.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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