Fig. 1.
Schematic illustration of the Ebola virus. The glycoprotein (GP) gene of the virus is translated in to structural GPs, GP1,2, and mainly in a small soluble GP (sGP; 41 kDa) that shares its first 295 residues with the glycoprotein 1,2 (GP1,2) (indicated by dotted lines in the GP1,2). The maturation of the GP involves posttranslational splicing. This gives rise to glycoprotein 1 (GP1) and glycoprotein 2 (GP2) fragments that are linked by disulfide bonds. The surface GPs, GP1,2, trigger the release of the cytokines by infected monocytes. sGP is also highly glycosylated (not shown) and is secreted in big quantities as a homodimer by the infected cells and fulfills an as yet controversial role. * Potential sites for N-glycosylation on the GP1,2 molecule.