Structural insights into the coupling of virion assembly and rotavirus replication

Viral replication is rapid and robust, but it is far from a chaotic process. Instead, successful production of infectious progeny requires that events occur in the correct place and at the correct time. Rotaviruses (segmented double-stranded RNA viruses of the Reoviridae family) seem to govern their replication through ordered disassembly and assembly of a triple-layered icosahedral capsid. In recent years, high-resolution structural data have provided unprecedented insight into these events. In this Review, we explore the current understanding of rotavirus replication and how it compares to replication of other Reoviridae family members.