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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Aip1p Dynamics Are Altered by the R256H Mutation in Actin
Published on: July 30, 2014
Subversion of the actin cytoskeleton during viral infection
Matthew P Taylor1, Orkide O Koyuncu, Lynn W Enquist
1Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
Abstract:
Viral infection converts the normal functions of a cell to optimize viral replication and virion production. One striking observation of this conversion is the reconfiguration and reorganization of cellular actin, affecting every stage of the viral life cycle, from entry through assembly to egress. The extent and degree of cytoskeletal reorganization varies among different viral infections, suggesting the evolution of myriad viral strategies. In this Review, we describe how the interaction of viral proteins with the cell modulates the structure and function of the actin cytoskeleton to initiate, sustain and spread infections. The molecular biology of such interactions continues to engage virologists in their quest to understand viral replication and informs cell biologists about the role of the cytoskeleton in the uninfected cell.
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