New (fluorescent) light on poliovirus entry

To initiate infection, poliovirus must release its RNA genome into the cytoplasm of a target cell, a process called ‘uncoating’. How this occurs has remained uncertain, despite studies over several decades. Two new studies re-address the question of poliovirus entry. The results suggest that poliovirus enters different cells by different mechanisms, and point to a role for virus-induced intracellular signals in the process.