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Simple and Robust in vivo and in vitro Approach for Studying Virus Assembly
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Assembly and Stability of Simian Virus 40 Polymorphs.
Curt Waltmann1, Roi Asor2,3, Uri Raviv2,3
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
ACS Nano
|March 27, 2020
Summary
Simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40) assembly is controlled by C-terminal ligands on VP1 pentamers. These ligands influence viral shell dynamics and templated assembly pathways, crucial for biology and nanotechnology.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Viral assembly is critical for understanding biological processes and developing nanotechnologies.
- Simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40) exhibits various polymorphic structures.
- VP1 pentamers are the fundamental building blocks of SV40 capsids.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate and understand the assembly pathways of SV40 polymorphs.
- To investigate the role of C-terminal ligands in SV40 assembly dynamics.
- To model the influence of electrostatic interactions and template size on viral shell formation.
Main Methods:
- Computational simulation of VP1 pentamer assembly into icosahedral shells (T=1).
- Modeling of C-terminal ligand interactions and their effect on assembly.
- Incorporation of electrostatic attractions between ligands and cargo for RNA-templated assembly.
Main Results:
- C-terminal ligands control SV40 assembly behavior and shell dynamics.
- Pseudo-closed shells (other than T=1) exhibit dynamic rearrangement.
- The N=13 shell can self-correct to a T=1 capsid by losing a pentamer.
- A pseudo-closed growth mechanism allows for continued capsid expansion.
Conclusions:
- C-terminal ligands are key regulators of SV40 dynamic assembly paths.
- The study provides insights into viral self-assembly applicable to nanotechnology.
- The findings reconcile simulation models with experimental observations under varying conditions.
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