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Related Concept Videos

Rabies01:28

Rabies

Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
Pinching-off of Coated Vesicles01:32

Pinching-off of Coated Vesicles

Vesicle budding is orchestrated by distinct cytosolic proteins such as adaptor proteins, coat proteins, and GTPases. To initiate vesicle budding, membrane-bending proteins containing crescent-shaped BAR domains bind to the lipid heads in the bilayer and distort the membrane to form a protein-coated vesicle bud. Adaptors proteins such as AP2 for clathrin-coated vesicles can nucleate on the deformed membrane. Finally, coat proteins such as clathrin or COPI and COPII assemble into a coat forming...
Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Rab Cascades01:25

Rab Cascades

Rab GTPases act in a regulated cascade during membrane fusion, helping the lipid bilayers mix. The Rab family of proteins are active when bound to GTP, and inactive when bound to GDP. Hence, they act as guanine nucleotide-dependent molecular switches. Rab-GTP recognizes and binds to long or short-range tethering proteins to capture the target vesicle. These tethers coordinate with SNAREs on the vesicle and the target membrane to assemble the trans SNARE complex that locks the mixing bilayers.
Protein Complex Assembly02:41

Protein Complex Assembly

Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types.  Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly01:19

Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly

As part of their replication cycle, certain viruses synthesize long precursor proteins called polyproteins within infected host cells. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), two major polyproteins are produced: Gag and Gag-Pol. The Gag polyprotein supplies the structural components of the virus, while Gag-Pol includes essential viral enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. After synthesis, these polyproteins move to the host cell membrane, where they assemble into an...

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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Whole Genome Sequencing for Rapid Characterization of Rabies Virus Using Nanopore Technology
10:26

Whole Genome Sequencing for Rapid Characterization of Rabies Virus Using Nanopore Technology

Published on: August 18, 2023

Rabies virus assembly and budding.

Atsushi Okumura1, Ronald N Harty

  • 1Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Advances in Virus Research
|May 24, 2011
PubMed
Summary

This review examines how the rabies virus completes its life cycle by exiting host cells. It focuses on the specific viral protein that organizes new virus particles and the host cell machinery hijacked to release them.

Keywords:
viral egressrhabdovirus replicationhost-pathogen interactionmatrix protein function

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Whole Genome Sequencing for Rapid Characterization of Rabies Virus Using Nanopore Technology
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Published on: August 18, 2023

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Generation, Amplification, and Titration of Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Viruses
11:48

Generation, Amplification, and Titration of Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Viruses

Published on: April 4, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Virology research within Rabies virus assembly studies
  • Molecular biology of infectious diseases

Background:

Negative-strand RNA viruses represent significant pathogens affecting global health in both human and animal populations. These infectious agents rely on complex intracellular pathways to complete their replication cycles successfully. No prior work had resolved the precise molecular interactions governing the final stages of viral egress. That uncertainty drove researchers to investigate how these pathogens manipulate cellular components for their own benefit. Prior research has shown that late-stage replication events are highly coordinated processes involving both viral and host factors. This gap motivated a deeper look into the specific mechanisms that facilitate the release of new virions. It was already known that certain viral proteins act as primary organizers during the formation of new infectious particles. Scientists have long sought to understand how these pathogens hijack host systems to ensure efficient exit from infected cells.

Purpose Of The Study:

This review aims to summarize current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of rabies virus assembly and budding. The authors seek to clarify how viral proteins interact with host cell components to facilitate efficient egress. The study addresses the lack of a unified model explaining the final stages of the viral replication cycle. This gap motivated the authors to synthesize existing data on the roles of the matrix protein. The researchers intend to highlight the importance of the vacuolar protein sorting pathway in the release of new virions. They aim to provide a detailed account of how these pathogens usurp cellular machinery for their own survival. The motivation stems from the need to better understand the late events of rhabdoviral replication. This work serves to consolidate findings from diverse molecular studies into a single, coherent overview of the budding process.

Main Methods:

The authors performed a comprehensive synthesis of existing literature regarding viral replication cycles. This review approach involved evaluating molecular studies that describe the interaction between viral and host proteins. The investigators examined data concerning the structural organization of rhabdoviral particles during late-stage egress. They focused on identifying the specific domains within viral proteins that facilitate recruitment of cellular machinery. The analysis integrated findings from various experimental models to construct a cohesive model of the budding process. The researchers scrutinized published evidence to distinguish between viral-driven and host-dependent mechanisms of particle release. This systematic evaluation allowed for the comparison of different viral strategies for exiting host cells. The study design emphasizes the integration of biochemical and structural data to explain the mechanics of viral exit.

Main Results:

The literature indicates that the matrix protein acts as the central orchestrator for the formation of new viral particles. Key findings from the literature demonstrate that this protein contains a distinct late budding domain. This domain is responsible for recruiting host proteins that belong to the vacuolar protein sorting pathway. The synthesis shows that this recruitment is necessary for the successful separation of the virus from the host cell. The evidence suggests that these interactions are highly conserved among various negative-strand RNA viruses. The authors report that the matrix protein effectively usurps host cellular machinery to promote efficient egress. The findings highlight that the budding process is a highly regulated event requiring precise coordination between viral and host components. The literature confirms that the matrix protein is the primary determinant for the efficiency of virion release.

Conclusions:

The authors synthesize evidence showing that the matrix protein serves as the primary driver for viral particle formation. They propose that specific late budding domains within this protein are necessary for recruiting cellular machinery. The review suggests that the vacuolar protein sorting pathway is a key target for viral manipulation during egress. Researchers conclude that interactions between viral and host proteins are essential for successful virus-cell separation. The synthesis implies that targeting these specific interfaces could potentially disrupt the release of new infectious units. The authors highlight that current models of rhabdoviral budding rely heavily on these identified protein-protein interactions. This review clarifies the roles of both viral and host components in the final steps of the replication cycle. The findings provide a framework for future investigations into the molecular basis of viral exit strategies.

The researchers propose that the matrix protein recruits host proteins from the vacuolar protein sorting pathway. This interaction facilitates the separation of the virus from the host cell membrane, which is a necessary step for successful egress.

The matrix protein acts as the main organizer for virion formation. It contains a specific late budding domain that allows it to interact with cellular machinery, unlike other viral proteins that lack this specialized recruitment function.

The vacuolar protein sorting pathway is necessary because it provides the host machinery required for virus-cell separation. Without recruiting these specific cellular factors, the virus cannot efficiently bud from the infected cell membrane.

The authors analyze existing literature on protein-protein interactions to define the role of host factors. This synthesis of data allows them to map how viral components hijack cellular systems during the final stages of replication.

The phenomenon of virus-cell separation is measured by the efficiency of virion egress. The authors suggest that this process is highly dependent on the recruitment of specific host proteins by the viral matrix protein.

The researchers propose that understanding these molecular interactions could reveal new targets for therapeutic intervention. They suggest that disrupting the interface between viral and host proteins might prevent the release of new infectious particles.