West Nile Virus NS3 Protease Biotinylated Antibody

Infection of mosquito-borne West Nile Virus can cause severe neurological disease and can be epidemic. Two non-structural proteins, NS3 and NS2b, play an essential role in viral replication and are therefore a potential target for treatment and prevention of West Nile Virus disease. NS3 consists of a trypsin-like serine protease with a catalytic triad (His51, Asp75, Ser135) and a putative helicase. Requiring NS2b as the cofactor, NS3 protease processes viral polyprotein precursor (1, 2). The purified recombinant protein consists of three forms: the full-length fusion protein, the N-terminal NS2b, and the C-terminal NS3 with the G₄SG₄ linker. NS3 protease has a relatively narrow substrate specificity that prefers Arg in P1 and Lys in P2. The purified recombinant protein has autocatalytic activity that can lead to protein degradation. It is therefore important to store the sample below -20° C and to keep on ice while working with the sample.