Hepatitis C virus RNA replication.

Genome replication is a crucial step in the life cycle of any virus. HCV is a positive strand RNA virus and requires a set of nonstructural proteins (NS3, 4A, 4B, 5A, and 5B) as well as cis-acting replication elements at the genome termini for amplification of the viral RNA. All nonstructural proteins are tightly associated with membranes derived from the endoplasmic reticulum and induce vesicular membrane alterations designated the membranous web, harboring the viral replication sites. The viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase NS5B is the key enzyme of RNA synthesis. Structural, biochemical, and reverse genetic studies have revealed important insights into the mode of action of NS5B and the mechanism governing RNA replication. Although a comprehensive understanding of the regulation of RNA synthesis is still missing, a number of important viral and host determinants have been defined. This chapter summarizes our current knowledge on the role of viral and host cell proteins as well as cis-acting replication elements involved in the biogenesis of the membranous web and in viral RNA synthesis.