Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant global health concern, infecting millions of people worldwide. The virus can lead to chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. One of the critical components of HCV is the non-structural protein 3 (NS3), which plays a vital role in the virus’s replication and pathogenesis.
The NS3 protein of HCV is a multifunctional enzyme with both protease and helicase activities. The protease domain is responsible for cleaving the viral polyprotein into functional units, while the helicase domain unwinds RNA, which is essential for viral replication. Due to its crucial role in the viral life cycle, NS3 is a target for antiviral drug development .
Recombinant NS3 protein is produced using genetic engineering techniques. The gene encoding the NS3 protein is cloned into an expression vector, which is then introduced into a host organism, typically Escherichia coli. The host organism expresses the NS3 protein, which can be purified for further study. The recombinant NS3 protein is often tagged with a polyhistidine (His) tag to facilitate purification using metal affinity chromatography .
The His tag is a sequence of histidine residues added to the N- or C-terminus of a protein. This tag binds strongly to metal ions such as nickel or cobalt, allowing the tagged protein to be purified from a mixture of proteins using metal affinity chromatography. The His tag does not usually interfere with the protein’s function, making it a popular choice for protein purification .