Some viruses need to phase-separate to replicate

Replication of rotavirus, an important cause of gastroenteritis in children, proceeds in large, easily discernible cytoplasmic structures, called viroplasms or viral factories, but mechanisms underlying their formation and function in infected cells have remained mysterious. In this issue, Geiger et al (2021) used a combination of in silico, in vitro, and cell-based approaches to define how two essential rotavirus nonstructural proteins, NSP2 and NSP5, form liquid-liquid phase-separated condensates as the structural foundation of rotavirus factories.

Automated summary

Researchers used a combination of in silico, in vitro, and cell-based approaches to uncover the mechanism of rotavirus factory formation, highlighting the essential roles of NSP2 and NSP5 in forming liquid-liquid phase-separated condensates.