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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

octahedral polyomavirus, PVs, tumors, mammals

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

Polyomaviruses (PVs) are viruses that can cause tumors in mammals and fatal diseases in birds. Knowles et al. (2) estimated that over 90% of the human population is infected with a polyomavirus, but these infections are usually dormant, and only show symptoms in patients with compromised immune systems. PVs normally form a capsid with icosahedral symmetry whose structure is known (Figure 1). In this structure, the major capsid protein (VP1) forms a stable pentamer with the C-terminal arms of the proteins extending outwards. VP1 pentamers (filled pentagons, Figure 1) interact with five other pentamers on some vertices, and with six neighboring pentamers on other vertices. The C-terminal extensions coordinate to hold neighboring pentamers together in the overall capsid structure.

Included in

Chemistry Commons

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