Two distinct trimeric conformations of natively membrane-anchored full-length herpes simplex virus 1 glycoprotein B

Significance Successful host cell infection requires that viruses get various components—most importantly, their genomes—across the bounding membranes into the cytosol. For enveloped viruses, this crucial part of the entry process is achieved by merging the viral membrane with the host membrane, a process mediated by specialized virus-encoded fusion proteins residing on the virus envelope. Accordingly, these surface viral proteins constitute important targets for antiviral treatments as well as for prophylactic vaccine development. Herpesviruses are ubiquitous, opportunistic DNA viruses that have mastered immune system evasion to cause lifelong infections, with intermittent clinical and subclinical viral reactivation. The structural information on an effective glycoprotein B conformation reported here opens up overdue opportunities for targeted interventions in herpesvirus entry.