Figure 7
A model of maturation, transport and release of HSV-2 virions. After exit from the nucleus, nucleocapsids in the cytoplasm acquire additional teguments and obtain the final envelope by budding into trans-Golgi network (TGN). Vesicles containing virions are transported to the cell surface and release virions by fusion with the plasma membrane. In the TGN, UL56 is incorporated into virions or remains in the limiting membrane of the vesicles. UL56 protrudes into the cytoplasm from the membrane of vesicles containing virions, and interacts with proteins which are involved in membrane trafficking, transport or membrane fusion. This interaction facilitates the transport and/or release of virions. Nedd4 can play some role in this process via its interaction with UL56.