Ziebert F, Kuli? IM. How Influenza´s Spike Motor Works. Phys Rev Lett. 2021 May 28;126(21):218101
While often believed to be a passive agent that merely exploits its host´s metabolism, the influenza virus has recently been shown to actively move across glycan-coated surfaces. This form of enzymatically driven surface motility is currently not well understood and has been loosely linked to burnt-bridge Brownian ratchet mechanisms. Starting from known properties of influenza´s spike proteins, we develop a physical model that quantitatively describes the observed motility. It predicts a collectively emerging dynamics of spike proteins and surface-bound ligands that combined with the virus´ geometry give rise to a self-organized rolling propulsion. We show that in contrast to a Brownian ratchet, the rotary spike drive is not fluctuation driven but operates optimally as a macroscopic engine in the deterministic regime. The mechanism also applies to relatives of influenza and to man-made analogs like DNA monowheels and should give guidelines for their optimization.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- Evolution of H7N9 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in the context of vaccination 13 hours ago
- Cost-effectiveness of high-dose influenza vaccination in the Netherlands: Incorporating the impact on both respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations 13 hours ago
- First human case of avian influenza A (H10N3) in Southwest China [preprint] 3 days ago
- Molecular characterization of the whole genome of H9N2 avian influenza virus isolated from Egyptian poultry farms 3 days ago
- Genetic drift and purifying selection shape within-host influenza A virus populations during natural swine infections 3 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]