Issue 16, 2018

Membrane-containing virus particles exhibit the mechanics of a composite material for genome protection

Abstract

The protection of the viral genome during extracellular transport is an absolute requirement for virus survival and replication. In addition to the almost universal proteinaceous capsids, certain viruses add a membrane layer that encloses their double-stranded (ds) DNA genome within the protein shell. Using the membrane-containing enterobacterial virus PRD1 as a prototype, and a combination of nanoindentation assays by atomic force microscopy and finite element modelling, we show that PRD1 provides a greater stability against mechanical stress than that achieved by the majority of dsDNA icosahedral viruses that lack a membrane. We propose that the combination of a stiff and brittle proteinaceous shell coupled with a soft and compliant membrane vesicle yields a tough composite nanomaterial well-suited to protect the viral DNA during extracellular transport.

Graphical abstract: Membrane-containing virus particles exhibit the mechanics of a composite material for genome protection

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 Jan 2018
Accepted
02 Mar 2018
First published
16 Apr 2018
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 7769-7779

Membrane-containing virus particles exhibit the mechanics of a composite material for genome protection

S. Azinas, F. Bano, I. Torca, D. H. Bamford, G. A. Schwartz, J. Esnaola, H. M. Oksanen, R. P. Richter and N. G. Abrescia, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 7769 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR00196K

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