Attaches the virus to host cellular receptor, inducing endocytosis of the virion. In the endosome, the acidic pH induces conformational changes in the glycoprotein trimer, which trigger fusion between virus and cell membrane. There is convincing in vitro evidence that the muscular form of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), the neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) bind glycoprotein G and thereby facilitate rabies virus entry into cells.
[1] Structure of the glycoprotein gene in rabies virus.Anilionis A., Wunner W.H., Curtis P.J.Nature 294:275-278(1981) [2] Amino acid sequence of the rabies virus glycoprotein deduced from its cloned gene.Anilionis A., Wunner W.H., Curtis P.J.Comp. Immun
