Mechanics of Viruses

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Abstract
This chapter demonstrates the utility of the approach to nanoindentation in silico by exploring the biomechanical properties of two specific examples of virus shell—the Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) capsid and the virus-like particle encapsulin. Ubiquitous in nature, viruses are biological infectious nanostructures that, in most instances, consist of just a nucleic acid packaged within a protein shell. Viruses themselves contain no metabolic machinery. Viruses appear to be ubiquitous, existing as specific infectious agents for all species of bacteria, archaebacteria, animals, and plants. Viruses that infect cells have biomedical and societal importance due to their roles as infectious agents. These viruses, plus the native cellular virus-like nanocompartment bioreactors, have potential applications in a number of areas. Recently discovered bacterial nanocompartments, called encapsulins, belong to a family of virus-like bioreactor structures. There exist a number of theoretical methods, which have been used to describe the dynamics of virus capsids.

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