title: Inhibiting virus-capsid assembly by altering the polymerisation pathway.
abstract: Virus capsids assemble through the repeated interaction of well-defined protein subunits in a highly specific process. Basic research into the mechanism of protein polymerisation and virus assembly suggest that inhibition of the protein-protein interactions necessary for assembly is a valid therapeutic strategy. Computer models of virus-capsid assembly have located vulnerable stages in assembly, and small-molecule inhibitors of virus assembly have been identified. The challenge will be identifying agents that block assembly with the required specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294, USA.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Prevelige
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers