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. 2000 Jul;11(7):2359–2371. doi: 10.1091/mbc.11.7.2359

Figure 8.

Figure 8

The place of the transient RH intermediates (TRH) in the pathway of the HA-mediated fusion. (A) In the scheme of the fusion site, the top and bottom membranes represent sections of an HA-cell and RBC, respectively. a1 and a2, b1 and b2, c1 and c2, and d1 and d2 illustrate the hypothetical pathway of complete fusion from the initial state (a1 and a2) to the onset of lipid and content mixing (c1 and c2) to fusion completion (d1 and d2), shown at the level of the fusing cells (1) and for the enlarged contact zones (2). (B) Formation of TRH intermediates is blocked in the presence of LPC. In contrast, 4°C stabilizes TRH by blocking both its dissociation and its evolution toward fusion pore (FP) or unrestricted hemifusion (UH). (C) The structures of the proposed fusion intermediates (TRH, UH, and FP) are shown. Each of the low pH–activated HA molecules is depicted as a loaded spring anchored to the membranes by the transmembrane domain pointing up and the fusion peptide pointing down.

HHS Vulnerability Disclosure