Fig. 1.

Overview of the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 binds its cell receptor, ACE2, and enters with assistance from either cathepsin L (CTSL) or transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2). The virus enters the cell either by the endocytic pathway or by directly fusing with the cell membrane. It replicates its RNA utilizing its encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP, green circle), manufactures non-structural proteins, and produces structural proteins at the endoplasmic reticulum and in specialized double-membrane vesicles. The structural proteins traffic to the Golgi via the endoplasmic-reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) where they are assembled into a complete virion and exported out of the cell through the secretory pathway.