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Capsids are broadly classified according to their structure. The majority of the viruses have capsids with either helical or icosahedral [2] [3] structure. Some viruses, such as bacteriophages, have developed more complicated structures due to constraints of elasticity and electrostatics. [4]
The genetic material of a virus is stored within a viral protein structure called the capsid. The capsid is a "shield" that protects the viral nucleic acids from getting degraded by host enzymes or other types of pesticides or pestilences.
The capsomere is a subunit of the capsid, an outer covering of protein that protects the genetic material of a virus. Capsomeres self-assemble to form the capsid. [1] In this diagram of an Adenovirus, the capsid molecules are clearly visible. Subunits called protomers aggregate to form capsomeres. Various arrangements of capsomeres are: 1 ...
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This is also called the "virus-first hypothesis" [27]: 24 and proposes that viruses may have evolved from complex molecules of protein and nucleic acid at the same time that cells first appeared on Earth and would have been dependent on cellular life for billions of years.
While the exact criteria as defined in the scientific literature vary, giant viruses are generally described as viruses having large, pseudo-icosahedral capsids (200 to 400 nanometers in diameter) [4] that may be surrounded by a thick (approximately 100 nm) layer of filamentous protein fibers. The viruses have large, double-stranded DNA genomes ...
Each face in turn is formed by a repetition of simpler sub-units, with the amount of repetitions called a triangulation number (T). Similar capsid structures can be used by many different types of viruses. [3] In many viruses, the virions have icosahedral symmetry, which can be ideally isometric or elongated. Many virions also have other shapes:
Prior to entry, a virus must attach to a host cell. Attachment is achieved when specific proteins on the viral capsid or viral envelope bind to specific proteins called receptor proteins on the cell membrane of the target cell. A virus must now enter the cell, which is covered by a phospholipid bilayer, a cell's natural barrier to the outside ...