Effects of salts on internal DNA pressure and mechanical properties of phage capsids.

Alex Evilevitch, Wouter H Roos, Irena L Ivanovska, Meerim Jeembaeva, Bengt Jönsson, Gijs J L Wuite

Journal: Journal of molecular biology 2011;405(1):18-23

PMID: 21035458

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Based on atomic force microscopy nanoindentation measurements of phage λ, we previously proposed a minimal model describing the effect of water hydrating DNA that strengthens viral capsids against external deformation at wild-type DNA packing density. Here, we report proof of this model by testing the prediction that DNA hydration forces can be dramatically decreased by addition of multivalent ions (Mg(2+) and Sp(4+)). These results are explained using a DNA hydration model without adjustable parameters. The model also predicts the stiffness of other DNA-filled capsids, which we confirm using bacteriophage ϕ29 and herpes simplex virus type 1 particles.

Address: Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, PA 15213, USA. [email protected]

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2010.10.039

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MeSH Terms: Bacillus Phages, Bacteriophage lambda, Capsid, Cations, DNA, Viral, Herpesvirus 1, Human, Microscopy, Atomic Force, Osmotic Pressure, Salts, Water