Isoform-specific interaction of pyruvate kinase with hepatitis C virus NS5B

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and pathogenesis involve both virus-encoded proteins and cellular factors. In our study, we showed that NS5B, the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, interacted with M2 type pyruvate kinase (M2PK) but not L type pyruvate kinase. We confirmed the interaction by GST pull down, coimmunoprecipitation and confocal immunofluorescence analysis in cells with transient expression of NS5B and M2PK as well as in a HCV replicon-bearing cell line. Furthermore shRNA which specifically down-regulated M2PK expression could inhibit the replication of HCV in HCV replicon 9B cells.