Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Dissecting Host-virus Interaction in Lytic Replication of a Model Herpesvirus
Published on: October 7, 2011
Viral interactions with host cell Rab GTPases
1a Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA.
Abstract:
Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that utilize cellular machinery for many aspects of their replication cycles. Enveloped viruses generally rely upon host vesicular trafficking machinery to direct their structural proteins and genomes to sites of virus replication, assembly, and budding. Rab GTPases have been implicated in the replication of many important viral pathogens infecting humans. This review provides a summary of virus-Rab protein interactions, with a particular focus on the role of Rab-related trafficking pathways on late events in the lifecycle of herpesviruses and of HIV-1.
Insights
Viruses hijack host cell transport systems, specifically Rab GTPases, to replicate. This review details how these viral interactions impact herpesviruses and HIV-1 late-stage replication.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites.
- Enveloped viruses depend on host cell vesicular trafficking for replication.
- Rab GTPases are crucial for various cellular processes, including trafficking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review virus-Rab protein interactions.
- To focus on Rab-related trafficking in herpesvirus and HIV-1 replication.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of virus-Rab protein interactions.
- Analysis of Rab GTPase roles in viral late-stage replication.
Main Results:
- Rab GTPases are implicated in the replication of numerous human viral pathogens.
- Rab-mediated trafficking pathways significantly influence herpesvirus and HIV-1 assembly and budding.
Conclusions:
- Understanding virus-Rab interactions is key to deciphering viral replication strategies.
- Targeting Rab pathways could offer novel antiviral therapeutic avenues for herpesviruses and HIV-1.
Related Concept Videos
Rab Proteins
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...
Rab Cascades
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Coat Assembly and GTPases
Coat assembly depends on the local availability of phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs and GTP-binding proteins. Adaptor proteins, which link the coat proteins to the membrane, bind to these PIPs and play a crucial role in controlling...
SNAREs and Membrane Fusion
SNAREs exist in pairs that symmetrically interact and catalyze the fusion of the lipid bilayers in vesicle and target organelle. v-SNARE in the vesicle membrane are single polypeptide chains that bind to a complementary t-SNARE, composed of 2...
Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria

