Unusual double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) are abundantly found in the cytoplasm of cells infected with viruses as diverse and notorious as coronaviruses, enteroviruses, noroviruses and hepatitis C virus. DMVs play an important role in the process of viral genome replication of these positive-sense RNA viruses, and seem to provide an optimal microenvironment for viral RNA synthesis and a shield for viral replication intermediates from cellular innate immune sensors. Our understanding of these recurrent structures has evolved enormously in the last 15 years, thanks to advances in imaging techniques and modern molecular biology tools. In this new manuscript, we review contemporary understanding of the biogenesis, structure and function of virus-induced DMVs, and highlight the open questions and challenges that these fascinating structures continue to pose.
Georg Wolff, Charlotte E Melia, Eric J Snijder, Montserrat Bárcena.”Double-membrane vesicles as platforms for viral replication”. Trends Microbiol. 2020. Online ahead of print, June 11.