Elasticity theory and shape transitions of viral shells

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2005 Nov;72(5 Pt 1):051923. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.72.051923. Epub 2005 Nov 21.

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" or faceted as their radius increases through a critical value determined by the competition between stretching and bending energies of a closed two-dimensional (2D) elastic network. In the present work we generalize this approach to capsids with nonicosahedral symmetries, e.g., spherocylindrical and conical shells. One key additional physical ingredient is the role played by nonzero spontaneous curvature. Another is associated with the special way in which the energy of the 12 topologically required fivefold 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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Capsid / chemistry*
  • Capsid / ultrastructure*
  • Capsid Proteins / chemistry*
  • Capsid Proteins / ultrastructure*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Elasticity
  • Models, Biological*
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Motion
  • Multiprotein Complexes / chemistry
  • Multiprotein Complexes / ultrastructure
  • Phase Transition
  • Protein Conformation
  • Stress, Mechanical

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • Multiprotein Complexes