Elucidating the mechanism behind irreversible deformation of viral capsids.

ABSTRACT: Atomic force microscopy has recently provided highly precise measurements of mechanical properties of various viruses. However, molecular details underlying viral mechanics remain unresolved. Here we report atomic force microscopy nanoindentation experiments on T=4 hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsids combined with coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, which permit interpretation of experimental results at the molecular level. The force response of the indented capsid recorded in simulations agrees with experimental observations. In both experiment and simulation, irreversible capsid deformation is observed for deep indentations. Simulations show the irreversibility to be due to local bending and shifting of capsid proteins, rather than their global rearrangement. These results emphasi

SUBMITTER: Arkhipov A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2756377 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature