Cryo-electron microscopy reveals the functional organization of an enveloped virus, Semliki Forest virus

Semliki Forest virus serves as a paradigm for membrane fusion and assembly. Our icosahedral reconstruction combined 5276 particle images from 48 cryo-electron micrographs and determined the virion structure to 9 Angstrom resolution. The improved resolution of this map reveals an N-terminal arm linking capsid subunits and defines the spike-capsid interaction sites. It illustrates the paired helical nature of the transmembrane segments and the elongated structures connecting them to the spike projecting domains. A 10 Angstrom diameter density in the fusion protein lines the cavity at the center of the spike. These clearly visible features combine with the variation in order between the layers to provide a framework for understanding the structural changes during the life cycle of an enveloped virus.