FIG. 9.

Model for ASFV assembly. Intracellular ASFV particles acquire their inner envelopes from the ER. The envelopment probably begins by the insertion of viral proteins into the ER membranes and, concomitantly, the exclusion of the host membrane proteins. During this process, the cell compartment would be collapsed to give rise to precursor viral structures formed by two tightly apposed membranes. Subsequently, the capsid would be gradually assembled on one side of the inner envelope whereas the core shell would form beneath the opposite face. At the time the particle is closing, the nucleoprotein material of the nucleoid would become engulfed. Finally, the intracellular particles would release from the cell by budding at the plasma membrane (PM). According to this model, the resulting extracellular ASFV particles would contain three lipid membranes.