Nonstructural Protein 3 Protease (NS3 Protease)

The NS3 protease is a multifunctional viral enzyme found in several members of the Flaviviridae family, including dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). It plays a critical role in viral replication by processing the viral polyprotein and facilitating RNA replication. The NS3 protein consists of two main domains: an N-terminal serine protease domain and a C-terminal helicase/NTPase/RNA triphosphatase domain. The serine protease domain requires a cofactor, typically a segment from the NS2B protein, to be catalytically active. The enzyme is considered an attractive antiviral drug target, and several small-molecule inhibitors have been developed targeting either active sites or disrupting cofactor interactions.

Other names

NS3NS2B/NS3 proteaseFlavivirus NS3 proteaseHCV NS3 protease

Inhibition of NS3 protease activity, disruption of NS2B/NS3 interaction, inhibition of helicase/NTPase activity