Structural constraints on the three-dimensional geometry of simple viruses: case studies of a new predictive tool

A new concept in virology provides insights into structural constraints on virus structure, extending Caspar-Klug theory to include predictions across all radial levels of the virus particle including genome organization. The predictive power of the new tool is demonstrated for a range of viruses, revealing a previously unrecognized structural interdependence of shapes and sizes of different viral components.