3D-Printed Self-Assembling Helical Models for Exploring Viral Capsid Structures
Donald Plante, Keegan Unzen, John R. Jungck · 2024
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Description
Donald Plante, Keegan Unzen, and John Jungck print magnetic model pieces that assemble themselves into virus-like tubes. Their methods paper from twenty twenty-four extends earlier spherical models. Real helical virus shells self-assemble from many identical proteins. Physical models make that invisible process graspable.
Printed parts follow double-helix packing patterns. Magnets stand in for the forces between real subunits. Simplified charge simulations guided the piece designs. The parts reliably form cylinders on their own. Students can handle and rebuild the structures freely. Teachers gain a hands-on route into viral architecture. The approach also prototypes mesoscale self-assembly ideas.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Donald Plante, Keegan Unzen, John R. Jungck |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2024 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 37 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |