Cryo-electron tomography of bacterial viruses.

Ricardo C Guerrero-Ferreira, Elizabeth R Wright

Virology 2013 Jan 05

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Bacteriophage particles contain both simple and complex macromolecular assemblages and machines that enable them to regulate the infection process under diverse environmental conditions with a broad range of bacterial hosts. Recent developments in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) make it possible to observe the interactions of bacteriophages with their host cells under native-state conditions at unprecedented resolution and in three-dimensions. This review describes the application of cryo-ET to studies of bacteriophage attachment, genome ejection, assembly and egress. Current topics of investigation and future directions in the field are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.