Enzymatic activity of Phosphatidyl-inositol-4 kinase III alpha (PI4KIIIα) is critically involved in HCV replication and regulated by HCV NS5A

PI4KIIIα has been identified as important host factor for HCV replication (1). To gain insight into the mechanism of action, we generated cell lines with a stable knock-down of PI4KIIIα, resulting in a significant reduction of HCV replication upon infection with replication competent genomes. Interestingly, upon expression of non-structural proteins NS3–5B the structure of HCV induced membrane alterations was different in stable knock-down cells changing from a dot-like distribution to large membrane clusters. HCV replication as well as the induction of typical membrane alterations could be rescued by expression…