image: Influenza is caused by influenza virus which encapsidates its RNA genome (green) with a viral nucleoprotein (blue). The influenza virus polymerase (orange) reads and copies the RNA genome by scanning along this helical antiparallel protein-RNA template. As the polymerase moves along this complex, the RNA produced forms into a nascent filament giving the replication intermediate a branched appearance. In the background is an image of influenza virus ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNP) observed using cryo-electron microscopy. This image relates to a paper that appeared in the Nov. 22, 2012, issue of Science Express, published by AAAS. The paper, by A. Moeller at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., and colleagues was titled, "Organization of the Influenza Virus Replication Machinery." view more
Credit: Image courtesy of Arne Moeller, The Scripps Research Institute