Mathematical virology: a novel approach to the structure and assembly of viruses

2006 ◽  
Vol 364 (1849) ◽  
pp. 3357-3373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reidun Twarock
Keyword(s):  
Viral Genome ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Cold Spring Harbor ◽  
Surface Structures ◽  
Viral Capsids ◽  
Protein Subunits ◽  
The Public ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Cold Spring

Understanding the structure and life cycle of viruses is a fascinating challenge with a crucial impact on the public health sector. In the early 1960s, Caspar & Klug (Caspar & Klug 1962 Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol . 27 , 1–24) established a theory for the prediction of the surface structures of the protein shells, called viral capsids, which encapsulate and hence provide protection for the viral genome. It is of fundamental importance in virology, with a broad spectrum of applications ranging from the image analysis and classification of experimental data to the construction of assembly models. However, experimental results have provided evidence for the fact that it is incomplete and, in particular, cannot account for the structures of Papovaviridae , which are of particular interest because they contain cancer-causing viruses. This gap has recently been closed by the viral tiling theory, which describes the locations of the protein subunits and inter-subunit bonds in viral capsids based on mathematical tools from the area of quasicrystals. The predictions and various recent applications of the new theory are presented, and it is discussed how further research along these lines may lead to new insights in virology and the design of anti-viral therapeutics.

scholarly journals The Architecture of Viral Capsids Based on Tiling Theory

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Twarock
Keyword(s):  
Viral Genome ◽  
Surface Structures ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Viral Capsids ◽  
Bonding Structure ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Medical Sector ◽  
Icosahedral Viruses ◽  
Protein Shell

A vital constituent of a virus is its protein shell, called the viral capsid, that encapsulates and hence protects the viral genome. The surface structures of a large number of icosahedral viruses can be modelled via Caspar-Klug Theory, which has hence become one of the fundamental concepts in virology. However, growing experimental evidence have shown that a significant fraction of viruses falls out of the remit of this theory. Among them are the Papovaviridae, which are of particular interest for the medical sector as they contain cancer causing viruses. A novel approach for the prediction of the protein stoichiometry and bonding structure of icosahedral viruses based on tiling theory is discussed here. It generalises Caspar-Klug Theory, and is in particular applicable also to Papovaviridae. Besides describing the surface structures of the viruses, this approach also provides a tool for the classification of cross-linking structures and the construction of assembly models.

scholarly journals Nucleocapsid Assembly of Baculoviruses

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuling Zhao ◽  
Guanghui He ◽  
Yiheng Yang ◽  
Changyong Liang
Keyword(s):  
Viral Genome ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
Transport Pathways ◽  
Viral Capsids ◽  
Protein Subunits ◽  
Dna Molecule ◽  
Assembly Mechanism ◽  
Large Oligomer ◽  
Related Proteins ◽  
Selection Of

The baculovirus nucleocapsid is formed through a rod-like capsid encapsulating a genomic DNA molecule of 80~180 kbp. The viral capsid is a large oligomer composed of many copies of various protein subunits. The assembly of viral capsids is a complex oligomerization process. The timing of expression of nucleocapsid-related proteins, transport pathways, and their interactions can affect the assembly process of preformed capsids. In addition, the selection of viral DNA and the injection of the viral genome into empty capsids are the critical steps in nucleocapsid assembly. This paper reviews the replication and recombination of baculovirus DNA, expression and transport of capsid proteins, formation of preformed capsids, DNA encapsulation, and nucleocapsid formation. This review will provide a basis for further study of the nucleocapsid assembly mechanism of baculovirus.

scholarly journals Assembly and Disassembly of Viral Capsids

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya Zandi ◽  
David Reguera ◽  
Robijn Bruinsma ◽  
William Gelbart ◽  
Joseph Rudnick
Keyword(s):  
Viral Genome ◽  
Release Mechanism ◽  
Icosahedral Symmetry ◽  
Hamiltonian Approach ◽  
Conformational Switching ◽  
Viral Capsids ◽  
Protein Subunits ◽  
Single Protein ◽  
Shed Light

We address here a theoretical basis for the icosahedral symmetry that is observed so commonly for viral capsids, i.e., the single-protein-thick rigid shells that protect the viral genome. In particular, we outline the phenomenological hamiltonian approach developed recently (see Zandi, R., Reguera, D., Bruinsma, R., Gelbart, W.M. and Rudnick, J. (2004), Original of icosahedral symmetry in viruses,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 101, 15556–15560) to account for the overwhelming prevalence of the Caspar-Klug “T-number” structures that are found for “spherical” viruses. We feature the role of “conformational switching energies” defining the competing multimeric states of the protein subunits. The results of Monte Carlo simulation of this model are argued to shed light as well on the mechanical properties and genome release mechanism for these viruses.

Corrupt Practices in the Public Health Sector: A Focus on Metropolitan Local Government Areas of Kano State, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mustapha Namadi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
The Government

Corruption is pervasive in Nigeria at all levels. Thus, despite recent gains in healthcare provision, the health sector faces numerous corruption related challenges. This study aims at examining areas of corruption in the health sector with specific focus on its types and nature. A sample size of 480 respondents aged 18 years and above was drawn from the eight Metropolitan Local Government Areas of Kano State, using the multistage sampling technique. The results revealed evidence of corrupt practices including those related to unnecessary-absenteeism, diversion of patients from the public health facilities to the private sector, diverting money meant for the purchase of equipment, fuel and diesel, bribery, stealing of medications, fraud, misappropriation of medications and unjustifiable reimbursement claims. In order to resolve the problem of corrupt practices in the healthcare sector, the study recommended the need for enforcement of appropriate code of ethics guiding the conduct of the health professionals, adoption of anti-corruption strategies, and strengthening the government monitoring system to check corruption in public health sector in order to ensure equitable access to healthcare services among the under-privileged people in the society.

Pharmacist for a Healthy India – Swasth Bharath

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 3151-3154
Author(s):  
G. N. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Pharmaceutical Sector ◽  
The Public ◽  
Pharmacy Council ◽  
Global Player

India has emerged as a global player for pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical revolution of 1970-90 of Indian Pharma Industry had demonstrated that India could be self-sufficient in the manufacture of essential drugs at affordable prices. The turnover of Indian Pharmaceutical is over $30 billion in 2015 including $15 billion in exports.  It was a great honor to preside the 67th Indian pharmaceutical congress held in Mysore. The topic of Pharmacists for a Healthy India is close to my heart and being a regulator myself, I feel that the Pharmacy fraternity can play a much larger role in contributing to the healthcare system in India. Pharmacist as such are involved in a big way in the regulation of drugs, be it manufacture, be it sale or research and development. A contribution of the Pharmacists is there at every stage till the drug reaches the consumer safely. For this purpose, the society needs a pool of well qualified and experienced pharmacists, which requires regular updating of their knowledge to keep pace with the developments taking place in the pharmaceutical sector. The advancements in technology and the emerging challenges in the health sector require pharmacists to shoulder the responsibilities towards the utilization of scientific knowledge in the use of modern medicines and the protection of the public against dangers of wrong use of drugs. The Pharmacy Council of India on its part will have to ensure that the courses offered for creating a high technology based are calibrated in such a way that the education and skills developed suit to the requirements of the Pharmaceutical Industry as well as needs to the patients

Navigating the Ethics of Big Data in Public Health

2019 ◽  
pp. 353-367
Author(s):  
Effy Vayena ◽  
Lawrence Madoff
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Credit Card ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Digital Disease Detection ◽  
The Public Sphere

“Big data,” which encompasses massive amounts of information from both within the health sector (such as electronic health records) and outside the health sector (social media, search queries, cell phone metadata, credit card expenditures), is increasingly envisioned as a rich source to inform public health research and practice. This chapter examines the enormous range of sources, the highly varied nature of these data, and the differing motivations for their collection, which together challenge the public health community in ethically mining and exploiting big data. Ethical challenges revolve around the blurring of three previously clearer boundaries: between personal health data and nonhealth data; between the private and the public sphere in the online world; and, finally, between the powers and responsibilities of state and nonstate actors in relation to big data. Considerations include the implications for privacy, control and sharing of data, fair distribution of benefits and burdens, civic empowerment, accountability, and digital disease detection.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document