Conquering the coronavirus replication centre Coronaviruses use infected cells to make copies of themselves that propagate infection. To replicate their genomes, coronaviruses hijack cellular membranes to build up specialized replication compartments. These work as control centres to make the process efficient and hide it from antiviral cellular defences. Recently, we discovered a unique protein complex that provides a gate in the membranes of these replication compartments. Here, we plan to decipher how this gate and the replication organelles are built and function, which will be key to devise plans to assault these viral fortresses to block virus replication and disease.