Figure 2.
The life cycle of poliovirus and related picornaviruses. Infection is initiated by attachment to receptor, which induces conformational changes in the virus that facilitate translocation of the viral RNA into the cytoplasm where it is replicated to yield progeny RNAs and translated to yield viral proteins. Translation produces a long polyprotein that is processed by viral proteases. Assembly of the virus is linked to processing of the polyprotein and proceeds through a series of intermediates including a protomer, a pentamer, an empty capsid, a provirion, and ultimately the virus. Adapted from Principles of Virology, (S.J. Flint, V.R. Racaniello, L.W. Enquist, A.M. Skalka, & R.M. Krug) with permission.