Background of the antigen
This endogenous retroviral envelope protein has retained its original fusogenic properties and participates in trophoblast fusion and the formation of a syncytium during placenta morphogenesis. The interaction with MFSD2A is apparently important for this process (PubMed:18988732). Endogenous envelope proteins may have kept, lost or modified their original function during evolution but this one can still make pseudotypes with MLV, HIV-1 or SIV-1 virions and confer infectivity. Retroviral envelope proteins mediate receptor recognition and membrane fusion during early infection. The surface protein mediates receptor recognition, while the transmembrane protein anchors the envelope heterodimer to the viral membrane through one transmembrane domain. The other hydrophobic domain, called fusion peptide, mediates fusion of the viral membrane with the target cell membrane (PubMed:14694139).
