Fig. 1

Schematic description of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) genome and viral proteins. The HEV genome is a single-stranded, positive-sense, linear RNA that is approximately 7.2 kb in length. The RNA genome consists of a 5′ untranslated region (UTR), three open reading frames (ORFs) and a 3′ UTR. ORF1 comprises approximately 70% of the genome (5109 bp) and encodes nonstructural polyproteins, such as methyltransferase (Met), Y-domain (Y), PCP, hypervariable region (HVR), macrodomain (X), RNA helicase (Hel) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which are necessary for replication. ORF2 and ORF3 partially overlap and are translated from a single subgenomic RNA that is approximately 2.2 kb in length. ORF2 encodes a viral capsid protein that is required for viral entry, assembly and immunogenicity. ORF3 encodes a small multifunctional phosphoprotein (MFP) that is required for virus egress from cells and proposed to perturb numerous cellular pathways