BIOL 3155 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Icosahedral Symmetry, Picornavirus, Hepa
17 Feb 2018
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Document Summary
For the polio vp1 is in the corner and that"s the attachment protein for this virus, this is the way the virus can recognize the receptor on the cell surface. An axis of threefold symmetry through the centre of each face. An axis of a fivefold symmetry though the centre of each corner. In order to use the proteins over and over they need a lot of symmetry and this is what you get with icosahedral: this type of structure needs to be made with proteins. So why the symmetry for the virus is so important? (1) to use small viral genome economically. (2) icosahedral symmetry help to close the gaps between the capsomers in order to protect the viral genome. There is no gaps, because if you have gaps the balloon inside will be destroyed by any splinter inside. Soccer ball is combination of pentagons and hexagons which results in perfect sphere.
