The Role of Cytosolic Lipid Droplets in Hepatitis C Virus Replication, Assembly, and Release

Figure 3

Replication and assembly of viral particles. The replication complex (RC) brings together the NS3 protease and its cofactors, such as NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B, to form the “membranous web” (1). NS4B protein mediates intracellular membrane rearrangement, particularly in partially closed double membrane structures where replication occurs (2). Following the assembly of the replication complex, the core accumulates on cLDs which is required to initiate the assembly phase (3). Several endogenous mechanisms coordinate the translocation of NS5A to the LD (4), presumably transferring the nascent HCV RNA to the budding nucleocapsid (NC) (5). Through apoE-E1E2 contact, the immature viral particle merges with or adheres to a luminal lipid droplet for maturation and secretion resembling that of VLDL (6).