Regulating self-assembly of spherical oligomers.

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Structural Biology
• Virology

Background:

• Intermediate stability critically influences reaction rates and product distribution in multistep processes.
• Kinetic traps can arise from unstable intermediates, hindering the formation of desired products.
• The cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) capsid protein self-assembles into ordered spherical particles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of intermediate stability in controlling self-assembly pathways.
• To differentiate between equilibrium and kinetic trapping in ordered structure formation.
• To explore methods for manipulating self-assembly to control product distribution.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of assembly kinetics and reaction endpoints.
• Characterization of self-assembled structures formed by CCMV capsid protein.
• Development of a straightforward analytical method to identify equilibration versus kinetic trapping.

Main Results:

• Formation of uniform, ordered structures is not solely dependent on reaching thermodynamic equilibrium.
• Kinetic trapping can be identified and potentially avoided through pathway control.
• Altering the assembly pathway of CCMV particles influences the distribution of final products.

Conclusions:

• The stability of reaction intermediates is a critical determinant of product formation in self-assembly.
• A simple analysis can distinguish between equilibrium-driven and kinetically trapped outcomes.
• Controlling self-assembly pathways offers a versatile strategy for directing product formation in various systems.