About this Research Topic
Maturation in herpesviruses initiates in the nucleus of the infected cell, with encapsidation of viral DNA to form nucleocapsids. These nucleocapsids are transported across the nuclear membrane into the cytoplasm utilizing a sophisticated nuclear egress complex (NEC) composed of host and viral factors. Cytoplasmic phase of virus maturation includes tegumentation and envelopment. Herpesvirus tegument proteins play important roles in maintaining the stability of capsids and directing the acquisition of virus envelope. The maturation concludes with the envelopment of nucleocapsids, which occurs at modified host membranes in the cytoplasm and exploits host vesicular trafficking. The entire process of virus maturation is orchestrated by protein–protein interactions and enzymatic activities of viral and host origin. This collection of original research articles and literature reviews focuses on herpesvirus maturation and the cellular processes that are exploited for the gain of infectivity by herpesviruses, with an emphasis on viral and host factors involved in this process.
Keywords: Cytomeglaovirus, HSV, capsid, tegument, egress, envelope, nuclear budding, pseudorabies
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