Viral capsid equilibrium dynamics reveals nonuniform elastic properties.

ABSTRACT: The long wavelength, low-frequency modes of motion are the relevant motions for understanding the continuum mechanical properties of biomolecules. By examining these low-frequency modes, in the context of a spherical harmonic basis set, we identify four elastic moduli that are required to describe the two-dimensional elastic behavior of capsids. This is in contrast to previous modeling and theoretical studies on elastic shells, which use only the two-dimensional Young's modulus (Y) and the bending modulus (κ) to describe the system. Presumably, the heterogeneity of the structure and the anisotropy of the biomolecular interactions lead to a deviation from the homogeneous, isotropic, linear elastic shell theory. We assign functional relevance of the various moduli governing different deforma

SUBMITTER: May ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3117158 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature