Size and mechanical stability of norovirus capsids depend on pH: a nanoindentation study

Size and mechanical stability of norovirus capsids depend on pH: a nanoindentation study

Norovirus-like particles were imaged using atomic force microscopy. The mechanical stability of the virus-like particles (VLPs) was probed by nanoindentation at pH values ranging from 2 to 10. This range includes pH values of the natural environment during the life cycle of noroviruses. The resistan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of general virology Vol. 91; no. Pt 10; pp. 2449 - 2456
Main Authors: CUELLAR, J. L, MEINHOEVEL, F, HOEHNE, M, DONATH, E
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Reading Society for General Microbiology 01-10-2010
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Capsid - chemistry
Capsid - drug effects
Capsid - physiology
Capsid - ultrastructure
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Microbiology
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Miscellaneous
Norovirus - chemistry
Norovirus - drug effects
Norovirus - physiology
Norovirus - ultrastructure
Protein Stability
Virology
Virus
Norovirus
Capsid
Caliciviridae
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Summary:Norovirus-like particles were imaged using atomic force microscopy. The mechanical stability of the virus-like particles (VLPs) was probed by nanoindentation at pH values ranging from 2 to 10. This range includes pH values of the natural environment during the life cycle of noroviruses. The resistance of VLPs to indentation was constant at acidic and neutral pH. The Young's modulus was of the order of 30 MPa. At basic pH the compliance of the capsid increased along with an increase in diameter. This specific pH-dependent mechanical response of the capsid may be related to mechanisms controlling uptake and release of the RNA during infection. Consecutive indentations with pressures ≤ 300 bar demonstrated the ability of the capsids to fully recover from deformations comparable with the size of the capsid. The capsids can be viewed as nanocontainers with an inbuilt self-repair mechanism. At pH 10 the capsids lost their stability and were irreversibly destroyed after one single indentation.
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ISSN:0022-1317
1465-2099
DOI:10.1099/vir.0.021212-0