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SUMMARY:Nanoindentation of virus capsids - Cieplak\, M (Polish Academy of 
 Sciences)
DTSTART:20120913T103000Z
DTEND:20120913T113000Z
UID:TALK39725@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mustapha Amrani
DESCRIPTION:A coarse-grained model is used to study the mechanical respons
 e of 35 virus capsids of symmetries: T1\, T2\, T3\, pT3\, T4\, and T7. The
  model is based on the native structure of the proteins that constitute th
 e capsids and is described in terms of the Calpha atoms. The number of the
 se atoms ranges between 8460 (for SPMV -- satellite panicum mosaic virus) 
 and 135780 (for NBV -- nudaureli virus). Nanoindentation by a broad AFM ti
 p is modeled as compression between two planes: either both flat or one fl
 at and one curved. Plots of the compressive force versus plate separation 
 show a variety of behaviors\, but in each case there is an elastic F_c res
 ults in a drop in the force and emergence of irreversibility. Across the 3
 5 capsids studied\, both F_c and the elastic constant are observed to vary
  by a factor of 20. We argue that for a given linear size of the capsid th
 e elastic constant and F_c depend on the average coordination number of an
  amino acid in the capsid.\n\n
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, Newton Institute Gatehouse
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