Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
Optimization of the multiple enzymatic activities of the hepatitis C virus NS3 protein
Shawn Misialek1, Ravi Rajagopalan, Sarah K Stevens
1InterMune, Brisbane, CA 94005, USA.
Abstract:
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) is known to possess multiple enzymatic activities. In addition to its well-characterized protease activity, HCV NS3 also has ATP hydrolase (ATPase) and nucleic acid unwinding (helicase) activities. We systematically studied the effect of common reagents on all three enzymatic activities with a view to improving assay sensitivity for compound screening and profiling. Inclusion of the detergent lauryl dimethylamine oxide (LDAO) improves protease and helicase activities significantly, allowing robust assays at much lower NS3 concentrations. These conditions enable a particularly sensitive protease assay that uses picomolar concentrations of NS3.
Related Concept Videos
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Hepatitis
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly

