Cation‐selective ion channels formed by p7 of hepatitis C virus are blocked by hexamethylene amiloride

FEBS Letters

Ewart, G.D¹  Premkumar, A²  Wilson, L¹  Gage, P.W² 

[1] Biotron Ltd, Innovations Building, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia;John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 334, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia

关键词: Cation-selective ion channels;    Hepatitis C virus;    p7;    Hexamethylene amiloride;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(03)01453-4

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

A 63 residue peptide, p7, encoded by hepatitis C virus was synthesised and tested for ion channel activity in lipid bilayer membranes. Ion channels formed by p7 had a variable conductance: some channels had conductances as low as 14 pS. The reversal potential of currents flowing through the channels formed by p7 showed that they were permeable to potassium and sodium ions and less permeable to calcium ions. Addition of Ca²⁺ to solutions made channels formed by p7 less potassium- or sodium-selective. Hexamethylene amiloride, a drug previously shown to block ion channels formed by Vpu encoded by HIV-1, blocked channels formed by p7. In view of the increasing number of peptides encoded by viruses that have been shown to form ion channels, it is suggested that ion channels may play an important role in the life cycle of many viruses and that drugs that block these channels may prove to be useful antiviral agents.

【 授权许可】

Unknown