The polyprotein of noncytopathogenic pestiviruses is cleaved co- and post-translationally into at least 11 proteins (Npro, C, Erns, E1, E2, p7, NS2-3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B) [2]. The genomes of cytopathogenic pestivirus strains express at least one additional protein, called NS3 (p80) [2]. This enzyme, which resides in the N-terminal region of NS3 (nonstructural protein 3), is essential for generation of its own C-terminus and for processing of the downstream cleavage sites, leading to the release of the pestivirus nonstructural proteins NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B [1,2]. Belongs in peptidase family?S31.
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Leu is conserved at position P1 for all four cleavage sites. Alanine is found at position P1′ of the NS4A-NS4B cleavage site, whereas serine is found at position P1′ of the NS3-NS4A, NS4B-NS5A and NS5A-NS5B cleavage sites.
