Hepatitis C virus envelope glycoprotein E2
E2 is a viral structural protein found in the hepatitis C virus.{{cite journal |vauthors=Garcia JE, Puentes A, Súarez J, López R, Vera R, Rodríguez LE, Ocampo M, Curtidor H, Guzman F, Urquiza M, Patarroyo ME |title=Hepatitis C virus (HCV) E1 and E2 protein regions that specifically bind to HepG2 cells |journal=Journal of Hepatology |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=254–62 |year=2002 |pmid=11830338 |doi=10.1016/S0168-8278(01)00262-8 }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Bartosch B, Dubuisson J, Cosset FL |title=Infectious hepatitis C virus pseudo-particles containing functional E1-E2 envelope protein complexes |journal=The Journal of Experimental Medicine |volume=197 |issue=5 |pages=633–42 |year=2003 |pmid= 12615904|pmc=2193821 |doi=10.1084/jem.20021756 |url=http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00133783/document }} It is present on the viral envelope and functions as a host receptor binding protein, mediating entry into host cells. It is a key target for the design of entry inhibitors and vaccine immunogens.{{cite journal |vauthors=Kong L, Giang E, Nieusma T, Kadam RU, Cogburn KE, Hua Y, Dai X, Stanfield RL, Burton DR, Ward AB, Wilson IA, Law M |title=Hepatitis C virus E2 envelope glycoprotein core structure |journal=Science |volume=342 |issue=6162 |pages=1090–4 |year=2013 |pmid=24288331 |pmc=3954638 |doi=10.1126/science.1243876 |bibcode=2013Sci...342.1090K }}