Molecular crystallography of icosahedral viruses

Acta Cryst. (2013). A69, 140-150 (http://doi.org/ksd); Acta Cryst. (2013). A69, 151-163 (http://doi.org/ksf)

Model prediction correlates well with the three-dimensional structure of hepatitis B virus.

The exterior surfaces of icosahedral viruses are classified according to the T-numbers of Caspar and Klug, akin to crystal growth forms in crystallography. In analogy to the characterization of internal atomic structures of crystal growth forms via space groups, the interior organization of viruses is investigated here using icosahedral affine extensions by appropriate (indexed) translations. The analysis reveals a previously unrecognized structural interdependence of the shapes and sizes of different viral components, providing novel insights into structural constraints on virus architecture.