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Viral Structure

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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.

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Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Sample Preparation for Single Virion Atomic Force Microscopy and Super-resolution Fluorescence Imaging

Sample Preparation for Single Virion Atomic Force Microscopy and Super-resolution Fluorescence Imaging

Published on: January 2, 2014

Atomic force microscopy of virus shells.

Pedro J de Pablo¹

¹Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Solid Condensed Matter Institute IFIMAC, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology

|August 31, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images and manipulates individual protein cages with nanometric resolution. This technique characterizes mechanical properties, electrostatic interactions, and even the internal genome state of these structures.

Keywords:

Aqueous solution Atomic force microscopy Beam deflection Breaking Cantilever Disruption Electrostatics Fatigue Force curve Nanoindentation Protein shell Spring constant Stiffness Stylus Tip Topography

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Area of Science:

Biophysics
Nanotechnology
Structural Biology

Background:

Microscopy techniques like optical and electron microscopy use probes such as photons and electrons to characterize specimens.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) employs a nanometric tip on a microcantilever to probe samples, enabling high-resolution imaging of individual protein shells in liquid.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe various AFM approaches for studying individual protein cages.
To extract mechanical and electrostatic properties of protein cages using imaging and spectroscopic methods.
To explore the self-healing capabilities and internal genome state of protein cages.

Main Methods:

Utilizing Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for high-resolution imaging of protein cages in liquid.
Employing spectroscopic methodologies to characterize mechanical and electrostatic properties.
Investigating genome condensation and diffusion within protein cages using AFM.

Main Results:

AFM successfully obtained nanometric resolution images of individual protein shells in liquid.
Mechanical and electrostatic properties of protein cages were extracted.
AFM revealed the self-healing potential of protein cages and analyzed the condensation state and diffusion of dsDNA within them.

Conclusions:

AFM is a versatile tool for characterizing individual protein cages, providing insights into their mechanical, electrostatic, and structural properties.
AFM can probe the internal environment of protein cages, including the state of encapsulated genetic material.
The technique holds potential for discovering and testing the resilience and self-repair mechanisms of these biological nanostructures.