Computer Simulation of HIV Protein Assembly (IMAGE)

University of Chicago

Computer Simulation of HIV Protein Assembly

Caption

These snapshots from a computer simulation shows steps in the assembly of the HIV-1 capsid, a pear-shaped capsule made of proteins that the virus needs in order to mature and become infective. The scale bar represents 20 nanometers, which is less than a tenth the size of the smallest bacterium. A model of a complete capsid suggested previously is shown on the far right of the image for comparison.  

Credit

John Grime and others, Nature Communications, doi: 10.1038/ncomms11568 and Nature 469:424-427 2011

Usage Restrictions

News organizations may use this image in connection with reports about the research of Gregory Voth, John Grime and their associates.

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