... serine prote-ase located in the amino-terminal domain of NS3. Ser-ine protease activity of NS3 requires NS4A, a proteinconsisting of 54 amino acid residues, to form a stablecomplex with the ... factors, including IFN regulatory fac-tor-3 (IRF-3) and kinases, including the Tank-bindingkinase 1 (TBK-1) and inhibitor of j B kinase e (IKK-e)[28–31]. Although IRF-3 is located in the cytoplasm ... 2; RIG-I, retinoic acid-inducible gene I; siRNA, small interfering RNA; TBK, Tank-binding kinase 1; TLR, Toll-like receptor; TRIF,Toll-IL1 receptor domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-b.FEBS...