Virus Structure
Virus Structure - Related Videos
08:19
Subnanometer-Resolution Structural Determination of Hemagglutinin from Cryo-Electron Tomography of Influenza Viruses
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Cited by 1 •
2025
This article presents a protocol for data processing of influenza viruses imaged using cryo-electron tomography and subsequent subtomogram averaging of the hemagglutinin glycoprotein. This protocol covers step-by-step data processing, from image preprocessing to final model refinement.
00:50
What are Viruses?
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2019
Overview A virus is a microscopic infectious particle that consists of an RNA or DNA genome enclosed in a protein shell. It is not able to reproduce on its own: it can only make more viruses by entering a cell and using its cellular machinery. When a virus infects a host cell, it removes its protein coat and directs the host’s machinery to transcribe and translate its genetic material. The hijacked cell assembles the replicated components into thousands of viral progeny, which can rupture and...
13:42
Quantitation of Rabies Virus in Various Bovine Brain Structures
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Cited by 4 •
2021
This protocol presents a qRT-PCR-based approach for determining the rabies virus nucleoprotein (N) gene copy number within various bovine brain anatomical structures using in vitro transcription.
00:56
Viral Structure
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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...
18:10
Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
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Cited by 40 •
2011
The present article describes the steps required to isolate and characterize RNA polymerase fidelity variants of RNA viruses and how to use mutation frequency data to confirm fidelity changes in tissue culture.
FAQs
The genome’s chemical form, either DNA or RNA, is one of the main organizing features of a virus particle. It must remain protected inside the capsid while retaining the information needed for replication in a host cell. Consequently, genome organization is studied alongside surrounding proteins to understand how viral particles function and interact with their hosts.
Capsid proteins provide structural protection for viral DNA or RNA and help define the particle’s physical organization. Their arrangement can affect how the virus remains stable outside cells and how its components are presented to the host environment. Examining the capsid therefore helps connect viral architecture with transmission, assembly, and immune recognition.
In viruses that possess a lipid envelope, surface proteins are especially important because they recognize receptors on host cells and promote entry. The envelope and its proteins also influence particle stability and how the immune system detects the virus. These features help explain why structural differences can affect transmission and the range of hosts a virus can infect.
Structural features provide observable distinctions among viruses, including the organization of the genome, capsid, envelope, and surface proteins. Comparing these features can contribute to classification by grouping viruses with related architectural traits. The same information can support diagnosis by helping researchers recognize which viral structures are associated with a particular infectious agent.
Structural information identifies viral components that are exposed, conserved, or required for infection and assembly. Researchers can use this knowledge to guide vaccine design toward features involved in immune recognition and to develop antiviral drugs that interfere with essential viral processes. The resulting strategies connect molecular architecture with prevention or disruption of infection.
Examining how genomes, capsids, envelopes, and surface proteins are organized helps researchers investigate how new virus particles assemble and how they interact with host cells. Comparing structures across viruses or hosts can also clarify features associated with adaptation. These findings provide biological context for understanding infection mechanisms and changes in host range.