Rotavirus, a nonturreted member of the Reoviridae, is the causative agent of severe infantile diarrhea. The double-stranded RNA genome encodes six structural proteins that make up the triple-layer particle. X-ray crystallography has elucidated the structure of one of these capsid proteins, VP6, and two domains from VP4, the spike protein. Complementing this work, electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) has provided relatively low-resolution structures for the triple-layer capsid in several biochemical states. However, a complete, high-resolution structural model of rotavirus remains unresolved. Combining new structural analysis techniques with the subnanometer-resolution cryoEM structure of rotavirus, we now provide a more detailed structural model for the major capsid proteins and their interactions within the triple-layer particle. Through a series of intersubunit interactions, the spike protein (VP4) adopts a dimeric appearance above the capsid surface, while forming a trimeric base anchored inside one of the three types of aqueous channels between VP7 and VP6 capsid layers. While the trimeric base suggests the presence of three VP4 molecules in one spike, only hints of the third molecule are observed above the capsid surface. Beyond their interactions with VP4, the interactions between VP6 and VP7 subunits could also be readily identified. In the innermost T1؍ layer composed of VP2, visualization of the secondary structure elements allowed us to identify the polypeptide fold for VP2 and examine the complex network of interactions between this layer and the T31؍ VP6 layer. This integrated structural approach has resulted in a relatively high-resolution structural model for the complete, infectious structure of rotavirus, as well as revealing the subtle nuances required for maintaining interactions in such a large macromolecular assembly.Rotaviruses are double-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the family Reoviridae. They are the major causative agents of severe gastroenteritis in young children and animals (24). These relatively large (ϳ1,000 Å) nonenveloped icosahedral viruses consist of 11 segments of double-stranded RNA. Each of the 11 segments codes for one protein, with the exception of segment 11, which codes for two proteins. Of these 12 proteins encoded by the viral genome, six are structural and six are nonstructural. The proteins encoded by the rotavirus genes are well established, and their properties have been reviewed (13).Electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) structural analysis has shown that rotavirus has three concentric capsid layers that enclose the genomic RNA (35,36,42,45). Two outer icosahedral layers surround an inner Tϭ1 icosahedral (25, 45) layer composed of VP2, similar to the case for other members of the Reoviridae such as bluetongue virus (17), orthoreovirus (37), and rice dwarf virus (29, 46). The outermost capsid layer, composed of VP7, and the middle capsid layer, composed of VP6, both exhibit Tϭ13 icosahedral organization. Rotavirus architecture also features 132 aqueous channels, ϳ140...