Present experimental methods do not have sufficient resolution to investigate all processes in virus particles at atomistic details. We report the results of molecular dynamics simulations and analyze the connection between the number of ions inside an empty capsid of PCV2 virus and its stability. We compare the crystallographic structures of the capsids with unresolved N-termini and without them in realistic conditions (room temperature and aqueous solution) and show that the structure is preserved. We find that the chloride ions play a key role in the stability of the capsid. A low number of chloride ions results in loss of the native icosahedral symmetry, while an optimal number of chloride ions create a neutralizing layer next to the positively charged inner surface of the capsid. Understanding the dependence of the capsid stability on the distribution of the ions will help clarify the details of the viral life cycle that is ultimately connected to the role of packaged viral genome inside the capsid.
CRESS-DNA viruses encompass a significant portion of the biosphere’s virome. However, little is known about the structure of Rep responsible for initiating the RCR of CRESS-DNA viruses.
Classical molecular dynamics modeling of whole viruses or their capsids in explicit water is discussed, and known examples from the literature are analyzed. Only works on all-atom modeling in explicit water are included. Physical chemistry of the whole system is the focus, which includes the structure and dynamics of the biomolecules as well as water and ion behavior in and around the virus particle. It was demonstrated that in most investigations molecular phenomena that currently can not be studied experimentally are successfully reproduced and explained by the simulations. These include, for example, transport and distribution of ions inside viruses that ultimately connected to their stability, the hydrodynamic pressure in the capsid related to viruses' elastic properties, the role of metal ions in virus swelling, and others. Current and future tendencies in the development of all-atom virus simulations are outlined.
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