The targeting of US28 is dependent on GASP-1

Background The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes the seven transmembrane (7 TM)/G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) US28. US28 is able to endocytose and signal in a constitutive i.e. ligand-independent manner and is located predominantly in the membranes of intracellular organelles, especially late endosomes/lysosomes and multivesicular bodies (MVBs). It was suggested that the virions of HCMV may be budding into the membranes of these MVBs, where the viral receptors are then incorporated into the viral membranes during the final stages of virus assembly.