title: Master equation approach to the assembly of viral capsids.
abstract: The distribution of inequivalent geometries occurring during self-assembly of the major capsid protein in thermodynamic equilibrium is determined based on a master equation approach. These results are implemented to characterize the assembly of SV40 virus and to obtain information on the putative pathways controlling the progressive build-up of the SV40 capsid. The experimental testability of the predictions is assessed and an analysis of the geometries of the assembly intermediates on the dominant pathways is used to identify targets for anti-viral drug design.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, UK. tk506@york.ac.uk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keef
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Micheletti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Twarock
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000737:chemistry; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins