Effects of RNA branching on the electrostatic stabilization of viruses.

@article{ErdemciTandogan2016EffectsOR,
  title={Effects of RNA branching on the electrostatic stabilization of viruses.},
  author={Gonca Erdemci-Tandogan and Jef Wagner and Paul van der Schoot and R. Podgornik and Roya Zandi},
  journal={Physical review. E},
  year={2016},
  volume={94 2-1},
  pages={
          022408
        }
}
Many single-stranded (ss) ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses self-assemble from capsid protein subunits and the nucleic acid to form an infectious virion. It is believed that the electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged RNA and the positively charged viral capsid proteins drive the encapsidation, although there is growing evidence that the sequence of the viral RNA also plays a role in packaging. In particular, the sequence will determine the possible secondary structures that the… 
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RNA Structures and Their Role in Selective Genome Packaging

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A comparative analysis of all alternative homogeneously tiled capsid structures of the same stoichiometry identifies evolutionary drivers favoring specific viral geometries in nature and offers a guide for virus-like particle design in nanotechnology.

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