Viral Structure Determination
Viral Structure Determination - Related Videos
00:56
Viral Structure
0 Views •
2019
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid. Structural Classes of Viruses Many criteria are used to classify viruses, including capsid design. Most viruses...
12:57
Alternative In Vitro Methods for the Determination of Viral Capsid Structural Integrity
0 Views •
Cited by 6 •
2017
Routine detection methods utilizing viral genome amplification are limited by their inability to discriminate infectious from non-infectious particles. The purpose of this article is to provide detailed protocols for alternative methods to aid in discrimination of infectious norovirus particles using aptamer binding, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy.
22:00
Crystallizing Membrane Proteins for Structure Determination using Lipidic Mesophases
0 Views •
Cited by 48 •
2010
Herein is described the procedure implemented in the Caffrey Membrane Structural and Functional Biology Group to set up manually crystallization trials of membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases.
09:28
Viral Concentration Determination Through Plaque Assays: Using Traditional and Novel Overlay Systems
0 Views •
Cited by 466 •
2014
Plaque assays are the gold standard for viral quantification, utilizing entrapping overlays on host cellular monolayers to determine viral titers. While various semisolid overlays have traditionally been used, here we demonstrate plaque techniques comparing semisolid overlays to a novel liquid microcrystalline cellulose among several families of viruses.
01:26
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes
0 Views •
2025
Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...
FAQs
These methods provide complementary views of viral organization. Cryo-electron microscopy can examine virus particles or molecular components, X-ray crystallography can support near-atomic structural models from diffraction data, and electron tomography can capture three-dimensional particle organization. Comparing their results helps investigators connect detailed molecular features with the broader architecture of intact viruses and their components.
Structural analysis can identify capsid architecture, envelope organization, and receptor-binding sites. These features help explain how a virus is arranged, how it interacts with host cells, and which surfaces may be recognized by antibodies. Mapping them onto three-dimensional models provides a molecular basis for studying viral entry, immune recognition, and antibody neutralization.
A viral component may adopt different structural arrangements during infection-related processes. Resolving these conformational changes helps researchers examine how viral entry or other functional transitions occur and how antibody binding may affect them. The resulting models can also show why a particular structural state matters for immune recognition and for developing interventions that target infection.
Investigators first obtain data from virus particles or purified proteins using imaging or diffraction-based methods. Computational analysis then converts those measurements into a three-dimensional structural model, sometimes at near-atomic resolution. Researchers interpret the model by examining organization, binding sites, and conformational features, linking the observed structure to viral function, immune interactions, or infection-related mechanisms.
Three-dimensional models reveal exposed viral surfaces, receptor-binding sites, and other molecular features that can guide intervention design. In vaccine research, these structures support analysis of targets relevant to immune recognition. For antiviral discovery, they help investigators examine viral components and identify structural information that can inform compounds or strategies intended to interfere with infection.
Structural models show how antibodies relate to viral surfaces and receptor-binding regions, helping researchers study the basis of neutralization. They also provide a framework for examining variants that evade host defenses by altering relevant viral features. In immunology and infection research, this connects molecular structure with changing patterns of immune recognition and viral resistance.