Rabies virus matrix protein (M)

The Rabies virus matrix protein (M protein) is a critical structural component of the rabies virus (RABV), a neurotropic lyssavirus that causes fatal encephalitis in humans and animals [6, 9, 17]. As the most abundant protein in the virion, the M protein is responsible for viral assembly, budding, and maintaining the characteristic bullet-shaped morphology of the virus by bridging the internal ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex and the viral envelope [2, 4, 15]. Beyond its structural roles, the M protein serves as a multifunctional regulator that suppresses viral transcription while stimulating replication, thereby controlling the viral life cycle [2, 15]. It also plays a significant role in immune evasion by inhibiting host stress granule formation and modulating the innate immune response [6, 11, 15]. Furthermore, the M protein interacts with various host cellular factors, such as HDAC6 and components of the ESCRT machinery, to facilitate viral transport and induce neuronal apoptosis [6, 12]. Although there are currently no FDA-approved drugs that specifically target the M protein, it is an active area of research for developing novel small-molecule antivirals aimed at disrupting viral budding and assembly [8, 10, 16].

Other names

Matrix proteinM proteinPhosphoprotein M2RABV M proteinStructural protein M

Inhibition of viral assembly and budding; disruption of viral RNA synthesis regulation; interference with host-virus protein-protein interactions