HCV Mutation Detail Information

Virus Mutation HCV Mutation Q80K


Basic Characteristics of Mutations
Mutation Site Q80K
Mutation Site Sentence Epistatic interactions promote persistence of NS3-Q80K in HCV infection by compensating for protein folding instability
Mutation Level Amino acid level
Mutation Type Nonsynonymous substitution
Gene/Protein/Region NS3
Standardized Encoding Gene NS3
Genotype/Subtype 1a
Viral Reference -
Functional Impact and Mechanisms
Disease HCV Infection    
Immune Y
Target Gene -
Clinical and Epidemiological Correlations
Clinical Information -
Treatment -
Location -
Literature Information
PMID 34339738
Title Epistatic interactions promote persistence of NS3-Q80K in HCV infection by compensating for protein folding instability
Author Dultz G,Srikakulam SK,Konetschnik M,Shimakami T,Doncheva NT,Dietz J,Sarrazin C,Biondi RM,Zeuzem S,Tampe R,Kalinina OV,Welsch C
Journal The Journal of biological chemistry
Journal Info 2021 Sep;297(3):101031
Abstract The Q80K polymorphism in the NS3-4A protease of the hepatitis C virus is associated with treatment failure of direct-acting antiviral agents. This polymorphism is highly prevalent in genotype 1a infections and stably transmitted between hosts. Here, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms of evolutionarily conserved coevolving amino acids in NS3-Q80K and revealed potential implications of epistatic interactions in immune escape and variants persistence. Using purified protein, we characterized the impact of epistatic amino acid substitutions on the physicochemical properties and peptide cleavage kinetics of the NS3-Q80K protease. We found that Q80K destabilized the protease protein fold (p < 0.0001). Although NS3-Q80K showed reduced peptide substrate turnover (p < 0.0002), replicative fitness in an H77S.3 cell culture model of infection was not significantly inferior to the WT virus. Epistatic substitutions at residues 91 and 174 in NS3-Q80K stabilized the protein fold (p < 0.0001) and leveraged the WT protease stability. However, changes in protease stability inversely correlated with enzymatic activity. In infectious cell culture, these secondary substitutions were not associated with a gain of replicative fitness in NS3-Q80K variants. Using molecular dynamics, we observed that the total number of residue contacts in NS3-Q80K mutants correlated with protein folding stability. Changes in the number of contacts reflected the compensatory effect on protein folding instability by epistatic substitutions. In summary, epistatic substitutions in NS3-Q80K contribute to viral fitness by mechanisms not directly related to RNA replication. By compensating for protein-folding instability, epistatic interactions likely protect NS3-Q80K variants from immune cell recognition.
Sequence Data -
Mutation Information
Note
Basic Characteristics of Mutations
  • Mutation Site: The specific location in a gene or protein sequence where a change occurs.
  • Mutation Level: The level at which a mutation occurs, including the nucleotide or amino acid level.
  • Mutation Type: The nature of the mutation, such as missense mutation, nonsense mutation, synonymous mutation, etc.
  • Gene/Protein/Region: Refers to the specific region of the virus where the mutation occurs. Including viral genes, viral proteins, or a specific viral genome region. If the article does not specifically indicate the relationship between the mutation and its correspondence, the main
  • Gene/Protein/Region studied in the article is marked.
  • Genotype/Subtype: Refers to the viral genotype or subtype where the mutation occurs. If the article does not specifically indicate the relationship between the mutation and its correspondence, the main Genotype/Subtype studied in the article is marked.
  • Viral Reference: Refers to the standard virus strain used to compare and analyze viral sequences.
Functional Impact and Mechanisms
  • Disease: An abnormal physiological state with specific symptoms and signs caused by viral infection.
  • Immune: The article focuses on the study of mutations and immune.
  • Target Gene: Host genes that viral mutations may affect.
Clinical and Epidemiological Correlations
  • Clinical Information: The study is a clinical or epidemiological study and provides basic information about the population.
  • Treatment: The study mentioned a certain treatment method, such as drug resistance caused by mutations. If the study does not specifically indicate the relationship between mutations and their correspondence treatment, the main treatment studied in the article is marked.
  • Location: The source of the research data.
Literature Information
  • Sequence Data: The study provides the data accession number.