@article {Karamichali2017,
	title = {{The unexpected function of a highly conserved YXX$\Phi$ motif in HCV core protein}},
	journal = {Infection, Genetics and Evolution},
	volume = {54},
	year = {2017},
	month = {oct},
	pages = {251{\textendash}262},
	publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},
	abstract = {Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA positive strand virus, member of the Flaviviridae family. The HCV viral particle is composed of a capsid containing the genome, surrounded by an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived lipid bilayer where E1 and E2 are assembled as heterodimers. However, different forms of viral particles have been identified in the serum of HCV-infected patients, including non-enveloped particles. Previous reports have demonstrated that HCV non-enveloped capsid-like particles (HCVne) can be generated by HCV core protein sequence. This sequence possesses a highly conserved $\Upsilon$ΧΧ$\Phi$ motif and distal di-leucine motifs that confer primary endocytosis signals, enabling HCVne to enter hepatic cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Although HCV core{\textquoteright}s primary function is to encapsidate the viral genome, it also interacts with a variety of cellular proteins in order to regulate host cell functions such as gene transcription, lipid metabolism, apoptosis and several signaling pathways. In this report, we demonstrate that the YXX$\Phi$ motif of HCV core protein is crucial for the architectural integrity of the particulate form of HCVne. Moreover, we show that the YXX$\Phi$ motif in the HCV core sequence plays a pivotal role in the signaling events following HCVne clathrin-mediated endocytosis by inducing the AP-2 clathrin adaptor protein, which in turn redirect HCVne trafficking to the lipid droplets (LDs) via the endosomal-lysosomal pathway. HCVne and LDs co-localization affects the HCV life cycle by enhancing viral replication.},
	keywords = {AP-2M1, HCV core, HCVne, Lipid droplets, Replication, YXX$\Phi$ motif},
	issn = {15671348},
	doi = {10.1016/j.meegid.2017.07.001},
	url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1567134817302307},
	author = {Karamichali, Eirini and Serti, Elisavet and Gianneli, Aikaterini and Papaefthymiou, Aikaterini and Kakkanas, Athanassios and Foka, Pelagia and Seremetakis, Alexandros and Katsarou, Konstantina and Trougakos, Ioannis P. and Georgopoulou, Urania}
}
