Figure 3.

Role of VCP/p97 in the replication cycle of DNA-containing viruses. This figure is based on information derived from herpesviruses, particularly HCMV. VCP is depicted in the “up” conformation as shown in Figure 1. The DNA genome is depicted as two horizontal black lines, whereas viral mRNAs are shown as red arrows. The purple spheres on viral DNA represent capsid proteins. The inset reveals an enlarged view of viral egress from budding at the nuclear membrane, vesicle trafficking, and fusion of vesicles containing virus at the cell surface. Involvement of VCP in viral mRNA splicing and virion egress has been confirmed, but a role for p97 in uncoating is speculative.