Viruses are composed of only nucleic acids, proteins, sometimes lipids and a few other compounds. Thus, the survival of viruses is almost entirely dependent on molecular protein-protein interactions (PPI) with their hosts. Viral variation occurs rapidly, often with significant adaptation within each host. Efficiency of antivirals often depend on analysis of kinetics of viral growth. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction imaging of crystals of viruses have provided high-resolution reconstructions of viral capsids with icosahedral symmetry. Numerical simulations of coarse-grained models of viral capsids and their genomes have played an important role in improving our physical understanding of the dynamics of viruses. All-atom MD simulations of small viruses are possible, and they provide important insights into the soft-mode dynamics and kinetic trapping of assembled viruses. However they are restricted due to large activation barriers resulting in long timescales of viral assembly varying from seconds to hours. Kinetic models for the assembly kinetics of genome-filled particles especially in the case of empty capsids are analyzed.

Growth and cluster formation in viruses

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.