(70a) A Generic Coarse-Grained Model of Influenza Budding: What Can We Learn?

Viral release of influenza is believed to occur independently of the usual cellular machinery of endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT); instead, scission of the extruding bud is facilitated by the M2 protein. [1] The shape of the M2 transmembrane domain is distinctly conical and the assumed mechanism by which scission proceeds is that M2 aggregates in the budding neck to cause constriction that eventually pinches off the enveloped virus.

Constructing a physiologically inspired, minimal physical model of viral budding that can elucidate molecular mechanisms is nontrivial. In the spirit of Einstein’s famous quote: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler,” we will discuss model design principles, appropriate modelistic idealizations, technical challenges, and validation exemplified by the chosen application in virology.

REFERENCES

[1] Rossman et al. Cell 141, pp. 902-913, 2010