Aminoacylase 3 binds to and cleaves the N-terminus of the hepatitis C virus core protein.

Aminoacylase 3 (AA3) mediates deacetylation of N-acetyl aromatic amino acids and mercapturic acids. Deacetylation of mercapturic acids of exo- and endobiotics are likely involved in their toxicity. AA3 is predominantly expressed in kidney, and to a lesser extent in liver, brain, and blood. AA3 has been recently reported to interact with the hepatitis C virus core protein (HCVCP) in the yeast two-hybrid system. Here we demonstrate that AA3 directly binds to HCVCP (K(d) ~10 µM) that may by implicated in HCV pathogenesis. AA3 also revealed a weak endopeptidase activity towards the N-terminus of HCVCP.