FIG. 4.

Fusion assays suggest that the HERV-W envelope glycoprotein functionally interacts with mASCT1 and with N-deglycosylated forms of mASCT1 and mASCT2. CHO cells expressing either wild-type or deglycosylated forms of mASCT1 or mASCT2 were transfected with plasmids expressing the RD-Rless, the BaEV-Rless, or the HERV-Wcyt16 envelopes or the LacZ protein (control). The fusion activities of the transfected envelope glycoproteins were analyzed at 24 h posttransfection. Results are expressed as percent fusion indices (error bars are standard deviations; n = 3) as described for Fig. 1.