MicroRNA-mediated interactions between host and hepatitis C virus

Figure 1 Hepatitis C virus genome structure and processing of polyprotein. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA about 9.6 kb with a conserved 5’-NCR, one ORF and a conserved 3’-NCR. The polyprotein is cleaved by host ER signal peptidase (SP) or signal peptide peptidase (SPP) into three structural proteins (core, E1 and E2) and by the viral NS2 and/or NS3/4A protease into seven nonstructural proteins (p7, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B). Arrows denote the cleavage sites of host or virus proteases. NCR: Noncoding region; ORF: Open reading frame; ER: Endoplasmic reticulum.