Reconstruction of the cell entry pathway of an extinct virus
Fig 5
Proposed model of HERV-K entry.
We propose a 3-step model for HERV-K entry: 1. HERV-K binds heparan sulfate on the cell surface to attach to the cell. 2. The virus is taken up by dynamin-dependent, clathrin-independent endocytosis. 3. Exposure to low pH following endosomal acidification triggers Env to fuse the viral and cellular membranes, releasing the viral core into the cytoplasm.