Plays critical roles in the final steps of viral release by interacting with host TSG101, a member of the vacuolar protein-sorting pathway and using other cellular host proteins involved in vesicle formation pathway. Acts also as a viroporin and forms ion conductive pores allowing viral particle release. Impairs the generation of type I interferon by down-regulating host TLR3 and TLR7 as well as their downstream signaling pathways. Forms homooligomers (By similarity). Interacts with host SRC, HCK, FYN, PIK3R3 and GRB2 (via SH3 domain); binding does not activate the kinases. Interacts with host AMBP/bikunin and AMBP/alpha-1-microglobulin peptides (PubMed:16140784). Interacts with host HPX/hemopexin. Interacts (when phosphorylated) with capsid protein ORF2. Interacts with host TSG101; this interaction plays a role in viral release from the host cell (By similarity). The N-terminal region seems to associate with the cytoskeleton probably via one of its hydrophobic regions. Belongs to the hepevirus ORF3 protein family.