Skip to main content
capsomer

capsomer

1 9.9
A protein part that makes the outer coat of a virus and protects its genes
  • noun
  • /ˈkæpsoʊmɚ/
  • Specialized
: capsómero
  • Each capsomer is a crucial protein subunit that helps create the virus's capsid structure.
  • capsomers and hexameric
  • capsomer binding energy
  • capsomer proteins

Examples

  • Turnip yellow mosaic virus, as shown on the left, has a roughly spherical capsid comprising 12 pentameric capsomers and 20 hexameric capsomers.

    Academic text (2004)
  • An antiviral agent would work at the molecular level, a scale below the disk-shaped capsomers of the UCLA model.

    Academic text (2004)
  • To see why, consider a capsid that has just one more capsomer than the number M at a minimum.

    Academic text (2004)
  • In each run of the model, a fixed number N of capsomers slid about on a sphere.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Although the same protein makes up both types of capsomer, it adopts three different shapes to form pentamers and hexamers, as shown on the right.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Figure 2 shows how the energy per capsomer varies with N for two cases: E = 0 (black curve) and E = kT (blue curve).

    Academic text (2004)
  • Their building bricks are capsomers: regular polygonal groupings of capsid proteins.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The ability of capsomer proteins to form pentamers and hexamers with equal ease spreads out the free-energy minima, making them easier for evolution to find.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The outer shell of the virus is composed of numerous capsomers that organize to form a protective layer.

  • During viral assembly, individual capsomers come together to form the complete capsid around the viral genome.

Surface Forms

capsomer singular
capsomers plural

Morphology

capsomer = capsid (semi-transparent) = capso + omer

Formed from the technical base 'capsid' + the combining element '-omer' meaning 'part', but both elements are specialized and likely unfamiliar to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Capsomer comes from parts that mean 'box' and 'part': the capso- piece (seen in capsule) means 'box' or protective cover, and the ending -mer (seen in polymer) means 'part'. So a capsomer is a 'part' of the virus's outer 'cap' or shell, which is why it names the protein unit that helps make the virus's protective coat.