Hot-spots and their contribution to the self-assembly of the viral capsid: in-silico prediction and analysis

In order to rationally design biopolymers that mimic biological functions, first, we need to elucidate the molecular mechanisms followed by nature. For example, the viral capsid is a macromolecular complex formed by self-assembled proteins which, in many cases, are biopolymers with an identical amino acid sequence. Specific protein-protein interactions drive the capsid self-assembly process, leading to several distinct protein interfaces. Following the hot-spot hypothesis, we propose a conservation-based methodology to identify those interface residues that are crucial elements on the self-assembly and thermodynamic stability of the capsid. We validate our predictions by computational free energy calculations using an atomic-scale molecular model of an icosahedral virus. Our results show that a single mutation in any of the hot-spots significantly perturbs the quaternary interaction, decreasing the absolute value of the binding free energy, without altering the tertiary structure. Our methodology can lead to a strategy to rationally modulate the capsid’s thermodynamic properties.