Cryo-electron tomography: Moving towards revealing the viral life cycle of Rice dwarf virus

It is well known that viruses utilize the host cellular systems for their infection and replication processes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are poorly understood for most viruses. To understand these molecular mechanisms, it is essential to observe the viral and virus-related structures and analyse their molecular interactions within a cellular context. Cryo-electron microscopy and tomography offer the potential to observe macromolecular structures and to analyse their molecular interactions within the cell. Here, using cryo-electron microscopy and tomography, the structures of Rice dwarf virus are reported within fully hydrated insect vector cells grown on electron microscopy grids towards revealing the viral infection and replication mechanisms.