Bluetongue virus core particle

Core particle of the bluetongue virus (BTV) showing the inner and outer core proteins, coloured to highlight the various symmetries of the structure. The double-stranded RNA genome is protected inside the core. As double-stranded RNA is poisonous to the cell, it stays locked in the viral core where it is transcribed directly to mRNA using the virus's own polymerases. The mRNA is then extruded through pores in the core to be translated by the host cell machinery. Bluetongue is a disease of ruminants and the virus is transmitted by insect vectors. It belongs to the family Reoviridae and the genus Orbivirus