Fig. 7. Proposed model of LayV-G infecting host cell.

In the proposed model, the homotetrameric LayV-G (PDB:8JZB) could bind to the prefusion state of LayV-F (PDB ID: 8FEJ) in the resting state. Once the host receptor binding, the head domain of G protein might undergo a notable conformational change. Then the variegated patterns of electrostatic features on the surface of the 4HB appear to be responsible for triggering the conversion of the LayV-F from a prefusion to a pre-hairpin state and then a post-fusion state, thus triggering the membrane fusion between virus and host cells. Structure surfaces are colored by electrostatic potentials, which were estimated in ChimeraX 1.6.1 by coulombic calculation method.