Patent ID: 7838207

Claim:
A eukaryotic host cell transfected with an expression plasmid comprising: a) a first chimeric DNA molecule comprising: i. a non-cytopathic expression system for inducing expression of said first chimeric molecule upon transfection in a mammalian cell; ii. an HCV recombinant DNA molecule encoding a polyprotein comprising amino acids 1 to 1402 of SEQ ID NO: 2 which is operably linked to said expression system and iii. a transactivator domain fused downstream of said HCV DNA molecule, said transactivator domain encoding a transactivator molecule capable of initiating expression of a reporter gene; and b) a second chimeric DNA molecule encoding said reporter gene co-joined to an operon responding to said transactivator molecule; wherein expression of said first chimeric molecule leads to the production of a fusion polyprotein anchored to the endoplasmic reticulum of said mammalian cell, said fusion polyprotein being cleaved by said active NS3 protease thereby allowing translocation of said transactivator domain for inducing expression of said reporter gene as a means to evaluate said active NS3 protease activity.