Figure 1.

This cartoon schematic illustrates EBOV VP40–VP40 interaction phases crucial for viral particle formation: (i) VP40 NTD homodimers are formed. Once at the plasma membrane, VP40 rearrangement occurs through (ii) a basic patch containing six lysine residues. This rearrangement triggers exposure of (iii) an NTD surface that interacts at the hexameric interface between VP40 molecules necessary to form the viral matrix.