Walsh & Hoyt: Virus-Cell Interactions

The interaction between a virus and a host cell begins with the attachment of the virus particle to the surface of the cell. This process is initiated by a random collision between the particle and the cell surface. Initial binding is facilitated by appropriate ionic and pH conditions in the extracellular milieu, with ultimate attachment probably mediated in part by the interaction between specific proteins on the viral surface, called virion attachment proteins (VAPs), and specific receptors in the membrane of the host cell.