Assembly of Virion

Cores, with their partially double stranded DNA bud through intracellular membranes to produce 42nm mature virions called Dane Particles. These particles contain both pre-S1 and S in their envelopes as they are required for virion assembly.  Some virions contain pre-S2 as well, but it does not appear as though M is required for assembly or infectivity of the virions.

20 nm particles are also produced in abundance. (10⁴ - 10⁶ more than Dane particles!) These "immunological decoys" lack preS-2 and S, but lacks (or has little of) pre-S1 and the core.  They are formed when S alone is expressed in cells, and thus produce a bud without other viral components.  Dane particles are the large spherical particles, while the immunological decoys are the elongated and the smaller spherical particles.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.safetyline.wa.gov.au/institute/level2/course20/lecture81/l81_02.asp

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Figure Summarizes Viral Replication

Figure courtesy of http://www.scripps.edu/cb/mclachlan/

Source:

Strauss, James and Ellen.  Viruses and Human Disease.  Academic Press, San Francisco: © 2002.