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Related Concept Videos

Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

23.5K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
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SNAREs and Membrane Fusion01:43

SNAREs and Membrane Fusion

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Once a transport vesicle has recognized its target organelle, the vesicular membrane needs to fuse with the target membrane to unload the cargo. Transmembrane proteins called SNAREs present on organelle membranes and their vesicles, mediate vesicle 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...
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Vesicular Tubular Clusters01:45

Vesicular Tubular Clusters

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After budding out from the ER membrane, some COPII vesicles lose their coat and fuse with one another to form larger vesicles and interconnected tubules called vesicular tubular clusters or VTCs. These clusters constitute a compartment at the ER-Golgi interface known as ERGIC (Endoplasmic Reticulum Golgi Intermediate Compartment). The ERGIC is a mobile membrane-bound cargo transport system that sorts proteins secreted from ER and delivers them to the Golgi.
With the help of motor proteins such...
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Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

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Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
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Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

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Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Imaging of HIV-1 Envelope-induced Virological Synapse and Signaling on Synthetic Lipid Bilayers
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Imaging of HIV-1 Envelope-induced Virological Synapse and Signaling on Synthetic Lipid Bilayers

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HIV-1 Induced Cell-to-Cell Fusion or Syncytium Formation.

Tobias Starling1, Sergi Padilla-Parra2,3

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, UK.

Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation
|November 23, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cell-to-cell transmission is the primary way Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) spreads in the body, surpassing cell-free infection. Understanding this process is key to developing new treatments.

Keywords:
Cell-cell fusionHIV-1 entryHIV-1 transinfectionSyncytia

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A High-throughput Cre-Lox Activated Viral Membrane Fusion Assay to Identify Inhibitors of HIV-1 Viral Membrane Fusion
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A High-throughput Cre-Lox Activated Viral Membrane Fusion Assay to Identify Inhibitors of HIV-1 Viral Membrane Fusion

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Visualizing Cell-to-cell Transfer of HIV using Fluorescent Clones of HIV and Live Confocal Microscopy
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Visualizing Cell-to-cell Transfer of HIV using Fluorescent Clones of HIV and Live Confocal Microscopy

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Last Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Imaging of HIV-1 Envelope-induced Virological Synapse and Signaling on Synthetic Lipid Bilayers
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Imaging of HIV-1 Envelope-induced Virological Synapse and Signaling on Synthetic Lipid Bilayers

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A High-throughput Cre-Lox Activated Viral Membrane Fusion Assay to Identify Inhibitors of HIV-1 Viral Membrane Fusion
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A High-throughput Cre-Lox Activated Viral Membrane Fusion Assay to Identify Inhibitors of HIV-1 Viral Membrane Fusion

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Visualizing Cell-to-cell Transfer of HIV using Fluorescent Clones of HIV and Live Confocal Microscopy
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Visualizing Cell-to-cell Transfer of HIV using Fluorescent Clones of HIV and Live Confocal Microscopy

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Cell-free Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is well-studied, but its in vitro relevance is debated.
  • Cell-to-cell transmission is increasingly recognized as the dominant HIV-1 spread mechanism within hosts, though molecular details are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the significance of cell-to-cell HIV-1 transmission.
  • To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying efficient cell-to-cell HIV-1 spread.
  • To discuss HIV-1 induced cell-cell fusion and syncytia formation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and analysis of existing studies on HIV-1 transmission.
  • Discussion of viral entry and transinfection mechanisms.
  • Exploration of host immune manipulation during cell-to-cell spread.

Main Results:

  • Cell-to-cell HIV-1 transmission is potent, effectively targeting uninfected cells and evading restriction factors.
  • This mode of transmission accelerates latent reservoir formation.
  • The frequency and regulation of HIV-1 induced syncytia formation remain key research questions.

Conclusions:

  • Cell-to-cell transmission is a critical, potent pathway for HIV-1 spread in vivo.
  • Further research into the molecular intricacies of cell-to-cell fusion and syncytia formation is needed.
  • Understanding these processes can inform novel therapeutic strategies against HIV-1.