Hepatitis C virus (HCV), one of the major causative agents of virus-related liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in humans, contains a single-stranded RNA genome of positive polarity. HCV RNA contains nontranslated regions (NTRs) at the 5Ј and 3Ј ends (18,23) and a long open reading frame encoding polyprotein that is synthesized through a single translational initiation event directed by an RNA element designated the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) (21, 38) at the 5Ј NTR (46). The polyprotein is proteolytically processed into 10 or more viral proteins.In general, IRES elements need several canonical translation factors (except eukaryotic initiation factor 4E [eIF4E]) for their activities (40,42). However, HCV IRES-dependent translation requires only a few canonical factors (eIF2, eIF3, eIF5, and eIF5B) for function (30,39,41). Additionally, cellular proteins known as IRES-specific cellular transacting factors (ITAFs) are required for the efficient translation of HCV mRNA. For instance, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) interacting with HCV IRES is required for IRES function (2, 3). La antigen interacting with the GCAC site near the initiator AUG is necessary for the optimal function of the HCV IRES (1, 10, 43). Recent studies have shown that NSAP1 interacting with the adenosine-rich core-coding region of HCV mRNA augments HCV IRES-dependent translation (27).Heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein D (hnRNP D), also known as AU-rich element RNA-binding protein 1 (AUF1), is an hnRNP family member that shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm (44, 48). hnRNP D was initially identified owing to its ability to bind and destabilize c-myc mRNA in a crude in vitro decay system (6). The protein has four isoforms of different molecular weights (p37, p40, p42, and p45), all of which are produced by alternate splicing of a single transcript (11,47). The hnRNP D protein has various functions, including mRNA decay (6), telomere maintenance (12)
MATERIALS AND METHODSPlasmid construction and small interfering RNA (siRNA). Dual reporters harboring the HCV IRES, encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) IRES, and cmyc IRES were constructed as described previously (27). The monocistronic reporter containing the HCV IRES and EMCV IRES, followed by firefly luciferase used for in vitro translation, were prepared according to methods described in a previous report (28). Plasmids expressing hnRNP D, pFLAG-CMV2 p37, pFLAG-CMV2 p40, pFLAG-CMV2 p42, and pFLAG-CMV2 p45 were kindly provided by R. J. Schneider at New York University School of Medicine (44). To generate pRSET A-hnRNP D for recombinant hnRNP D purification, pFLAG-CMV2 p45 was treated with HindIII-Klenow-EcoRI, and the resulting DNA fragment was cloned into NcoI-Klenow-EcoRI-treated pRSET A (Invitrogen).To construct pH(130-228)CAT and pH(229-402)CAT used for generating an RNA probe (see Fig. 2B, below), HCV IRES corresponding to positions 130 to 228 and 229 to 402 were amplified from pH(18-402)CAT (27) using the following primer pairs: 5Ј-CTAGGTACCGGGAGAGCCATAG-3Ј and 5...