In situ structure of the poxvirus portal complex

TL;DR - Cryo-electron tomography reveals the in situ structure of a conserved hexameric portal complex spanning the vaccinia virus core wall. The structure connects this complex to viral assembly, mRNA release, and genome uncoating.

• The portal complex consists of six subunits.
• It spans the core wall of vaccinia virus.
• Its architecture is conserved among poxviruses.
• The findings provide structural context for several essential stages of the viral life cycle.