title: Mechanisms of virus assembly.
abstract: Viruses are nanoscale entities containing a nucleic acid genome encased in a protein shell called a capsid and in some cases are surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane. This review summarizes the physics that govern the processes by which capsids assemble within their host cells and in vitro. We describe the thermodynamics and kinetics for the assembly of protein subunits into icosahedral capsid shells and how these are modified in cases in which the capsid assembles around a nucleic acid or on a lipid bilayer. We present experimental and theoretical techniques used to characterize capsid assembly, and we highlight aspects of virus assembly that are likely to receive significant attention in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Martin Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454; email: hagan@brandeis.edu.
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Perlmutter
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hagan
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055808:Drug Discovery; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000187:drug effects; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D014780:Viruses / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: RNA packaging; capsid; kinetics; membrane; simulation; thermodynamics