Key part of hepatitis C virus pictured in great detail

Scientists have determined the most detailed picture yet of a crucial part of the hepatitis C virus, which the virus uses to infect liver cells. The findings can bring an effective hepatitis C vaccine closer to reality. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) focused on a protein known as E2 envelope glycoprotein. Any successful hepatitis C vaccine is likely to target the E2 protein. Scientists already have isolated rare antibodies from patients that can bind E2 in ways that neutralise a broad range of viral strains. “Now that we can visualise the structural details of these binding sites, we can design vaccine molecules that mimic them,” said co-senior author of the new research TSRI Assistant Professor MansunLaw. Like HIV and some other viruses, hepatitis C virus (HCV) uses effective countermeasures to evade the immune system. These include fast-mutating regions on the E2 protein, which ensure that antibodies to one HCV strain typically are ineffective against...