Fusing structure and function: a structural view of the herpesvirus entry machinery

Nat Rev Microbiol. 2011 May;9(5):369-81. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro2548. Epub 2011 Apr 11.

Abstract

Herpesviruses are double-stranded DNA, enveloped viruses that infect host cells through fusion with either the host cell plasma membrane or endocytic vesicle membranes. Efficient infection of host cells by herpesviruses is remarkably more complex than infection by other viruses, as it requires the concerted effort of multiple glycoproteins and involves multiple host receptors. The structures of the major viral glycoproteins and a number of host receptors involved in the entry of the prototypical herpesviruses, the herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), are now known. These structural studies have accelerated our understanding of HSV and EBV binding and fusion by revealing the conformational changes that occur on virus-receptor binding, depicting potential sites of functional protein and lipid interactions, and identifying the probable viral fusogen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane / pathology
  • Cell Membrane / virology
  • Herpesviridae / chemistry*
  • Herpesviridae / physiology*
  • Herpesviridae Infections / pathology
  • Herpesviridae Infections / virology*
  • Humans
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism
  • Virus Internalization*

Substances

  • Viral Proteins