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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Live Cell Imaging of Alphaherpes Virus Anterograde Transport and Spread
Published on: August 16, 2013
Actin and Rho GTPases in herpesvirus biology
Herman W Favoreel1, L W Enquist, Becket Feierbach
1Department of Virology, Parasitology, and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. herman.favoreel@UGent.be
Abstract:
Viruses have evolved a variety of interactions with host cells to create an optimal niche for viral replication, persistence and spread. The actin cytoskeleton of the host cell and actin-regulating Rho GTPase signaling pathways can be involved in several of these interactions. This review focuses on recent findings on herpesvirus interactions with actin and Rho GTPases during viral entry, replication in the nucleus and egress. Unraveling these often fascinating interactions might also provide additional insights into sometimes poorly known aspects of actin biology (e.g. its role in the nucleus) and in the development of novel antiviral therapies.
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