Fig. 10: Model of the lipid ligands' role in the flavivirus virion.

Cartoon representations of the virion in its a immature, b low-pH immature and c mature forms. The colour scheme is the same as Fig. 3 with the pr domain shown in pink like the rest of prM. The membrane is shown in blue. A blue–white–red gradient indicates acidification as the particle traffics through the secretory pathway from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and a return to neutral pH upon secretion. The low-pH immature particle is shown with an irregular surface since it is able to breathe and potentially revert to the immature particle if acidification is reversed. Once pr is cleaved and pocket factors are acquired, the particle is irreversibly converted to the mature form.