The Influence of Symmetry on the Probability of Assembly Pathways for Icosahedral Viral Shells. Issue 3 (2008)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bóna, Miklós; Sitharam, Meera
• Is Part Of: Computational and mathematical methods in medicine. Volume 9:Issue 3/4(2009)
• Page Start: 295
• Page End: 302
• Publication Date: 2008
• Subjects: icosahedral group -- viral shell -- polyhedral graph -- probability -- assembly pathways; Medicine -- Computer simulation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Mathematical models -- Periodicals; 610.11
• DOI: 10.1080/17486700802168411
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-670X

Abstract

Abstract : This paper motivates and sets up the mathematical framework for a new program of investigation: to isolate and clarify the precise influence of symmetry on the probability space of assembly pathways that successfully lead to icosahedral viral shells. Several tractable open questions are posed. Besides its virology motivation, the topic is of independent mathematical interest for studying constructions of symmetric polyhedra. Preliminary results are presented: a natural, structural classification of subsets of facets of T = 1 polyhedra, based on their stabilizing subgroups of the icosahedral group; and a theorem that uses symmetry to formalize why increasing depth increases the numeracy (and hence probability) of an assembly pathway type (or symmetry class) for a T = 1 viral shell.