dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaElasticity Theory and Shape Transitions of Viral Shells
| Authors | T. T. Nguyen, R. F. Bruinsma, W. M. Gelbart |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0506127 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0506127 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevE.72.051923 |
Abstract
Recently, continuum elasticity theory has been applied to explain the shape transition of icosahedral viral capsids - single-protein-thick crystalline shells - from spherical to buckled/faceted as their radius increases through a critical value determined by the competition between stretching and bending energies of a closed 2D elastic network. In the present work we generalize this approach to capsids with non-icosahedral symmetries, e.g., spherocylindrical and conical shells. One key new physical ingredient is the role played by nonzero spontaneous curvature. Another is associated with the special way in which the energy of the twelve topologically-required five-fold sites depends on the background local curvature of the shell in which they are embedded. Systematic evaluation of these contributions leads to a shape phase diagram in which transitions are observed from icosahedral to spherocylindrical capsids as a function of the ratio of stretching to bending energies and of the spontaneous curvature of the 2D protein network. We find that the transition from icosahedral to spherocylindrical symmetry is continuous or weakly first-order near the onset of buckling, leading to extensive shape degeneracy. These results are discussed in the context of experimentally observed variations in the shapes of a variety of viral capsids.
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"abstract": "Recently, continuum elasticity theory has been applied to explain the shape\ntransition of icosahedral viral capsids - single-protein-thick crystalline\nshells - from spherical to buckled/faceted as their radius increases through a\ncritical value determined by the competition between stretching and bending\nenergies of a closed 2D elastic network. In the present work we generalize this\napproach to capsids with non-icosahedral symmetries, e.g., spherocylindrical\nand conical shells. One key new physical ingredient is the role played by\nnonzero spontaneous curvature. Another is associated with the special way in\nwhich the energy of the twelve topologically-required five-fold sites depends\non the background local curvature of the shell in which they are embedded.\nSystematic evaluation of these contributions leads to a shape phase diagram in\nwhich transitions are observed from icosahedral to spherocylindrical capsids as\na function of the ratio of stretching to bending energies and of the\nspontaneous curvature of the 2D protein network. We find that the transition\nfrom icosahedral to spherocylindrical symmetry is continuous or weakly\nfirst-order near the onset of buckling, leading to extensive shape degeneracy.\nThese results are discussed in the context of experimentally observed\nvariations in the shapes of a variety of viral capsids.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0506127",
"authors": [
"T. T. Nguyen",
"R. F. Bruinsma",
"W. M. Gelbart"
],
"categories": [
"physics.bio-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevE.72.051923",
"title": "Elasticity Theory and Shape Transitions of Viral Shells",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0506127"
},
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