The viral replication organelles within cells studied by electron microscopy

Area of Science:

• Cellular biology
• Virology
• Microscopy

Background:

• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is vital for studying viral infections.
• Viruses assemble diverse structures within host cells, often remodeling cellular compartments into replication factories.
• Viruses can induce the formation of new membranes and organelles during infection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key imaging technologies for studying the biogenesis of viral replication organelles.
• To highlight how advanced microscopy reveals viral manipulation of cellular organization.
• To underscore the importance of molecular mapping in understanding viral replication complex assembly.

Main Methods:

• Live cell microscopy
• Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM)
• Cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM)
• Three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques
• In situ molecular mapping (2D and 3D)

Main Results:

• Advanced imaging reveals the variety of structures viruses assemble inside cells.
• Viruses actively remodel cellular compartments and induce novel membranes/organelles for replication.
• Molecular mapping elucidates the assembly of macromolecular complexes into functional viral replication sites.

Conclusions:

• Modern imaging technologies provide unprecedented detail into viral replication organelle biogenesis.
• Understanding viral manipulation of cell organization is significantly enhanced by these techniques.
• The integration of multiple imaging approaches is crucial for a comprehensive view of the viral life cycle.