Identification of the hepatitis C virus RNA replication complex in Huh-7 cells harboring subgenomic replicons.
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Gosert R, Egger D, Lohmann V, Bartenschlager R, Blum HE, Bienz K, Moradpour D
Identification of the hepatitis C virus RNA replication complex in Huh-7 cells harboring subgenomic replicons.
J Virol. 2003 May;77(9):5487-92.
- PubMed ID
- 12692249 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
Formation of a membrane-associated replication complex, composed of viral proteins, replicating RNA, and altered cellular membranes, is a characteristic feature of plus-strand RNA viruses. Here, we demonstrate the presence of a specific membrane alteration, designated the membranous web, that contains hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural proteins, as well as viral plus-strand RNA, in Huh-7 cells harboring autonomously replicating subgenomic HCV RNAs. Metabolic labeling with 5-bromouridine 5'-triphosphate in the presence of actinomycin D revealed that the membranous web is the site of viral RNA synthesis and therefore represents the replication complex of HCV.