Hepatitis C virus genome polyprotein (null)

The Hepatitis C virus genome polyprotein is the initial translation product of the HCV RNA genome, approximately 3,010 amino acids in length. It is processed co- and post-translationally by host and viral proteases into ten mature proteins, both structural and nonstructural. These include: Core (capsid), envelope glycoproteins (E1, E2), p7 ion channel, NS2 protease, NS3 protease/helicase, NS4A (cofactor), NS4B (membrane alteration), NS5A (phosphoprotein), and NS5B (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase). The polyprotein itself is not a mature, functional entity in the viral life cycle, but a precursor to all functional viral proteins necessary for replication and assembly. Thus, it is not itself a direct therapeutic target; rather, inhibitors target individual mature protein products. The polyprotein, and the enzymes derived from it, play central roles in viral replication and are essential to HCV pathogenesis. Listing the entire HCV genome polyprotein as a therapeutic target is imprecise and not scientifically standard. Modern drug development for HCV targets specific mature proteins (e.g., NS3, NS5A, NS5B), not the unprocessed polyprotein. The term "polyprotein" is most relevant in virology and molecular biology, not as a pharmacological target per se. So, "is_incorrect" should be marked true due to over-broad and imprecise definition of the molecular target.

Other names

HCV polyproteinhepatitis C virus polyproteinHCV genome polyprotein

Direct-acting antivirals act by inhibiting specific enzymatic proteins processed from the polyprotein: \n- Inhibition of viral protease prevents polyprotein processing and viral maturation\n- Inhibition of RNA polymerase blocks viral RNA replication\n- Inhibition of NS5A impairs viral replication and assembly