Editorial: Physical Virology and the Nature of Virus Infections

Abstract

Virus particles, 'virions', range in size from nano-scale to micro-scale. They have many different shapes and are composed of proteins, sugars, nucleic acids, lipids, water and solutes. Virions are autonomous entities and affect all forms of life in a parasitic relationship. They infect prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The physical properties of virions are tuned to the way they interact with cells. When virions interact with cells, they gain huge complexity and give rise to an infected cell, also known as 'virus'. Virion-cell interactions entail the processes of entry, replication and assembly, as well as egress from the infected cell. Collectively, these steps can result in progeny virions, which is a productive infection, or in silencing of the virus, an abortive or latent infection. This book explores facets of the physical nature of virions and viruses and the impact of mechanical properties on infection processes at the cellular and subcellular levels. Keywords: Acidic pH; Active matter; Alkaline pH; Anisotropic mechanics; Cell biology; Computational virology; Genome release; Inclusion bodies; Liquid unmixing; Maturation; Mechanical properties; Modelling; Physics; Pressure; Proton diode; Reverse transcription; Stiffness; Structural evolution; Tracking; Trafficking; Uncoating; Viral lineage; Virion; Virion morphogenesis; Virus; Water wire