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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Dec 30.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2015 Jun 29;13(8):484–496. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro3490

Figure 3 |. Models of viral envelope glycoprotein incorporation.

Figure 3 |

Several non-mutually exclusive mechanisms may participate in the incorporation of the viral envelope (Env) glycoproteins into new virions. a | Env expressed on the cell surface might be incorporated passively into virions as the particles acquire host-derived membrane during assembly and budding. b | In a putative Gag-Env co-targeting mechanism, both Gag and Env are targeted to a specific site on the plasma membrane (for example, a lipid raft microdomain), allowing Env to be concentrated at sites of assembly. c | Evidence suggests that the matrix (MA) domain of Gag and the cytoplasmic tail of the gp41 subunit of Env interact directly, resulting in the retention of Env complexes at sites of budding and their recruitment into virions. d | The MA domain of Gag and the cytoplasmic tail of gp41 could interact indirectly, with a host protein bridging the two viral proteins. CA, capsid; NC, nucleocapsid. Figure adapted from REF 44, Elsevier.