Fig 10. Model for ASFV internalization and uncoating.

ASFV enters swine macrophages by clathrin-mediated endocytosis (left) and constitutive macropinocytosis (right). After the uptake, incoming particles are transported from early endosomes or macropinosomes to late endosomes, where they undergo the uncoating process, which would involve pH-dependent capsid disassembly and disruption of the outer viral membrane. Then, the exposed inner viral envelope fuses with the endosomal membrane to deliver genome-containing naked cores into the cytosol. A fraction of disrupted particles reach lysosomes, from where they might fuse or be further degraded. It cannot be excluded that lysosomal hydrolases (i.e. lipases and proteases) may also contribute to virus disruption or uncoating.