Abstract
Initiation of host cell infection by an enveloped virus requires a viral-to-host cell membrane fusion event. This event is mediated by at least one viral transmembrane glycoprotein, termed the fusion protein, which is a key therapeutic target. Viral fusion proteins have been studied for decades, and numerous critical insights into their function have been elucidated. However, the transmembrane region remains one of the most poorly understood facets of these proteins. In the past ten years, the field has made significant advances in understanding the role of the membrane-spanning region of viral fusion proteins. We summarize developments made in the past decade that have contributed to the understanding of the transmembrane region of viral fusion proteins, highlighting not only their critical role in the membrane fusion process, but further demonstrating their involvement in several aspects of the viral lifecycle.
Document Type
Review
Publication Date
6-27-2020
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.3390/v12070693
Funding Information
This work was funded by the NIAID grant R01AI051517 and NIH 2P20 RR02017 awarded to RED.
Repository Citation
Barrett, Chelsea T. and Dutch, Rebecca Ellis, "Viral Membrane Fusion and the Transmembrane Domain" (2020). Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications. 174.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/biochem_facpub/174
Notes/Citation Information
Published in Viruses, v. 12, issue 7, 693.
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).