**2. Molecular biology of rabies virus**

The rabies virus (RABV) is enveloped, bullet-shaped viruses, 180 nm in length and 75 nm wide (**Figure 1**). Virions are composed of two structural units: an internal

**Figure 1.**

*The structure of the rabies virus (https://viralzone.expasy.org/22).*

**Figure 2.**

*Genome structure of the rabies virus (https://viralzone.expasy.org/22).*

helical nucleocapsid (consisting of nucleoprotein N and viral genome RNA), and a lipid envelope derived from the host cytoplasmic membrane during virus budding.

RABV contains a negative-sense ssRNA genome 11.9–12.3 kb in length, encoding five protein-coding genes: N, P, M, G, and L, which are separated by intergenic regions of variable length (**Figure 2**) [1]. P gene has alternative initiation points that lead to translation of P protein and at least four additional shorter gene products [2]. At 3′- and 5′- ends of RABV genome 58 nt leader sequence, and 57–70 nt trailer is located, subsequently [3].
