Science / Technology - Colloquium
Monday, October 29, 2007
4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Olin Hall
107
The genome packing in hundreds of viruses is investigated by analyzing the
chemical sequences of the genomes and the corresponding capsid proteins, in
combination with experimental facts on the structures of the packaged genomes. A
universal model, based simply on non-specific electrostatic interactions, is able to predict
the essential aspects of genome packing in diversely different viruses, such as the genome
size and its density distribution. Our result is in contrast to the long-held view that
specific interactions between the sequenced amino acid residues and the nucleotides of
the genome control the genome packing. Implications of this finding in the evolution and
biotechnology will be discussed.
Cost: FREE
Sponsored by: WPI Physics Department, Dr. Stephan Koehler
Suggested Audiences: College
E-mail:
sak@wpi.edu
Phone: 508-831-5090
Last Modified: September 17, 2007 at 2:32 PM
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