[Rotaviruses: structural and functional organization of the virion]

The data on the structural and functional organization of human rotaviral virion and rotaviral virions of different species of animals obtained by the native and foreign researchers for the last five years of study have been summarized. The virion ultrastructure, the genomic structure and polypeptide composition of rotaviruses are discussed. The data are presented on the transcription and molecular mapping of rotaviral genome. Special attention is paid to localization of rotaviral proteins in the virion capsid, to their function and derivation. The data on the role of endogenous enzymes in rotaviral transcription and replication are presented separately.