Biochemical characterisation of Murray Valley encephalitis virus proteinase

Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) is a member of the flavivirus group, a large family of single stranded RNA viruses, which cause serious disease in all regions of the world. Its genome encodes a large polyprotein which is processed by both host proteinases and a virally encoded serine proteinase, non-structural protein 3 (NS3). NS3, an essential viral enzyme, requires another virally encoded protein co-factor, NS2B, for proteolytic activity. The cloning, expression and biochemical characterisation of a stable MVEV NS2B-NS3 fusion protein is described. (C) 2010 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.