Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
14:56
A Genetic Screen to Isolate Toxoplasma gondii Host-cell Egress Mutants
Published on: February 8, 2012
13.4K
Betaherpesvirus Virion Assembly and Egress
William L Close1,2, Ashley N Anderson2, Philip E Pellett3
1Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|June 14, 2018
Summary
Betaherpesvirus virions are assembled using hijacked cellular processes. This summary details how these viruses manipulate host cells for efficient replication and transmission.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Virions are essential for virus transmission, requiring complex assembly, release, and entry mechanisms.
- The betaherpesvirus subfamily comprises human cytomegalovirus and human herpesviruses 6A, 6B, and 7, with significant roles in human and animal infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the intricate mechanisms of betaherpesvirus virion assembly.
- To elucidate how betaherpesviruses exploit host cell machinery for component production and virion formation.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on betaherpesvirus replication and assembly.
- Analysis of virion structure, including genome, capsid, tegument, and envelope.
- Examination of cellular process manipulation during viral infection.
Main Results:
- Betaherpesvirus virions possess a dsDNA genome, capsid, tegument, and glycoprotein-studded envelope.
- Assembly involves hijacking and reprogramming host cellular pathways.
- Nascent virions are transported for extracellular release and transmission.
Conclusions:
- Betaherpesvirus assembly is a sophisticated process reliant on host cell manipulation.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing antiviral strategies.
- The structural components facilitate efficient infection initiation and transmission.
Related Concept Videos
02:41Protein Complex Assembly
16.8K
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...
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
16.8K
02:41Protein Complex Assembly
2.6K
2.6K
02:50Spindle Assembly
4.3K
Spindle assembly occurs through three, often coexisting, pathways – the centrosome-mediated pathway, the chromatin-mediated pathway, and the microtubule-mediated pathway – collectively contributing to form a robust spindle apparatus.
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a...
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a...
4.3K
01:24Oligosaccharide Assembly
3.7K
Protein glycosylation starts in the ER lumen and continues in the Golgi apparatus. Glycosyltransferases catalyze the addition of sugar molecules or glycosylation of proteins. Usually, these enzymes add sugars to the hydroxyl groups of selected serine or threonine residues to form O-linked glycans or the amino groups of asparagine residues to form N-linked glycans. Different positions on the same polypeptide chain can contain differently linked glycans.
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
3.7K
01:18Assembly of Cytoskeletal Filaments
27.9K
Cytoskeletal filaments are polymeric forms of smaller protein subunits. However, individual cytoskeletal filaments may easily disassemble or associate with other similar filaments to form rigid structures. Microfilaments, made of actin monomers, rely on actin-binding proteins to form bundles and create networks of individual actin filaments. Microtubules rely on microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) to form sturdy cylindrical structures. However, the proteins involved in forming complex...
27.9K
03:36Genome Annotation and Assembly
21.0K
The genome refers to all of the genetic material in an organism. It can range from a few million base pairs in microbial cells to several billion base pairs in many eukaryotic organisms. Genome assembly refers to the process of taking the DNA sequencing data and putting it all back together in a correct order to create a close representation of the original genome. This is followed by the identification of functional elements on the newly assembled genome, a process called genome annotation.
21.0K