Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Viral Structure00:56

Viral Structure

75.4K
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
75.4K
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes01:26

Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

959
Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
959
Introduction to Virus01:28

Introduction to Virus

2.2K
Viruses are unique biological entities that blur the boundary between living and non-living systems. Although they lack cellular structure and metabolic processes, they can exhibit characteristics of life when infecting a host. Their defining feature is a nucleic acid core, composed of either DNA or RNA, encapsulated within a protein coat called a capsid. This simple structure allows them to invade host cells and use their machinery for replication efficiently.Viral Structure and...
2.2K
VSEPR Theory02:37

VSEPR Theory

15.4K
Valence shell electron-pair repulsion theory (VSEPR theory) enables us to predict the molecular structure around a central atom from an examination of the number of bonds and lone electron pairs in its Lewis structure. The VSEPR model assumes that electron pairs in the valence shell of a central atom will adopt an arrangement that minimizes repulsions between these electron pairs by maximizing the distance between them. The electrons in the valence shell of a central atom form either bonding...
15.4K
Protein Complex Assembly02:41

Protein Complex Assembly

17.0K
Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types.  Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
17.0K
VSEPR Theory and the Basic Shapes02:52

VSEPR Theory and the Basic Shapes

86.6K
Overview of VSEPR Theory
86.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genome-wide screening reveals producer-cell modifications that improve virus-like particle production and delivery potency.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Genome-wide screening reveals producer-cell modifications that improve virus-like particle production and delivery potency.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Prime editing-installed suppressor tRNAs for disease-agnostic genome editing.

Nature·2025
Same author

Directed evolution of engineered virus-like particles with improved production and transduction efficiencies.

Nature biotechnology·2024
Same author

Rapid and Scalable Production of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) by a Stable HEK293 Cell Pool.

Vaccines·2024
Same author

Engineered virus-like particles for transient delivery of prime editor ribonucleoprotein complexes in vivo.

Nature biotechnology·2024
Same journal

Environmental microbes as modulators of plant volatile landscapes: Implications for plant-insect chemical communication.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Beyond AMGs: Phage-encoded transcription and sigma factors as understudied virocell reprogramming tools.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Cronobacter spp.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Anaerobic lignin deconstruction: A game changer for lignocellulosic biorefineries.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Critical role of the inflammatory rheostat in influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis.

Trends in microbiology·2026
Same journal

Structure-based prokaryotic transcription shapes adaptation and host-invader interplay.

Trends in microbiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Structure of HIV-1 Capsid Assemblies by Cryo-electron Microscopy and Iterative Helical Real-space Reconstruction
12:38

Structure of HIV-1 Capsid Assemblies by Cryo-electron Microscopy and Iterative Helical Real-space Reconstruction

Published on: August 9, 2011

17.9K

AChiralPentagonalPolyhedralFramework forCharacterizingVirusCapsidStructures.

Aditya Raguram1, V Sasisekharan2, Ram Sasisekharan2

  • 1Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Trends in Microbiology
|January 18, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new polyhedral framework improves virus capsid structure analysis by using pentagonal subunits, enhancing understanding for antiviral therapy development. This approach refines interpretations of viral structural data.

Keywords:
pentagonpolyhedralstructurevirus

More Related Videos

Averaging of Viral Envelope Glycoprotein Spikes from Electron Cryotomography Reconstructions using Jsubtomo
08:29

Averaging of Viral Envelope Glycoprotein Spikes from Electron Cryotomography Reconstructions using Jsubtomo

Published on: October 21, 2014

12.7K
Advancing High-Resolution Imaging of Virus Assemblies in Liquid and Ice
08:31

Advancing High-Resolution Imaging of Virus Assemblies in Liquid and Ice

Published on: July 20, 2022

3.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Structure of HIV-1 Capsid Assemblies by Cryo-electron Microscopy and Iterative Helical Real-space Reconstruction
12:38

Structure of HIV-1 Capsid Assemblies by Cryo-electron Microscopy and Iterative Helical Real-space Reconstruction

Published on: August 9, 2011

17.9K
Averaging of Viral Envelope Glycoprotein Spikes from Electron Cryotomography Reconstructions using Jsubtomo
08:29

Averaging of Viral Envelope Glycoprotein Spikes from Electron Cryotomography Reconstructions using Jsubtomo

Published on: October 21, 2014

12.7K
Advancing High-Resolution Imaging of Virus Assemblies in Liquid and Ice
08:31

Advancing High-Resolution Imaging of Virus Assemblies in Liquid and Ice

Published on: July 20, 2022

3.8K

Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Virology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Antiviral therapy design, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), relies on viral structural information.
  • Traditional Caspar-Klug theory for virus capsid structure has limitations in describing intersubunit interfaces and chirality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a more general polyhedral framework for describing virus capsid structures.
  • To address limitations of existing theories and provide a more complete understanding of capsid architecture.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a general polyhedral framework for virus capsid description.
  • Utilizing pentagonal subunits instead of triangular ones to characterize capsid structures.
  • Analysis of intersubunit interfaces within viral capsids.

Main Results:

  • The proposed framework accounts for limitations of the traditional Caspar-Klug theory.
  • It provides a more thorough characterization of intersubunit interfaces.
  • The use of pentagonal subunits explains the intrinsic chirality observed in all capsids.

Conclusions:

  • The new polyhedral framework offers a more complete understanding of virus capsid structure.
  • This enhanced understanding can aid in the development of more effective antiviral strategies.
  • Refined interpretation of viral structural data is crucial for advancing antiviral therapies.