Herpesviruses remodel host membranes for virus egress

Herpesvirus capsids containing genomic DNA assemble in the nucleus. These capsids obtain an initial envelope by budding through the inner nuclear membrane into the perinuclear space.The nascent perinuclear virions then loses their envelope by fusion with the outer nuclear membrane, delivering nucleocapsids into the cytplasm. Capsids then acquire a second envelope studded with viral glycoproteins by budding into trans-Golgi network (TGN)-derived membranes.Virions within the TGN-derived vesicles are then transported by exocytosis to the extracellular space.In polarized epithelial cells and neurons, there is directed sorting of virus progeny toward specific cell surfaces, such as the epithelial cell–cell or neuron–epithelial cell junctions.During many of these processes, herpesviruses modify cellular membranes to augment viral replication and egress, and cellular processes are exploited to promote viral secretion.