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. 2007 Aug 22;2(8):e765. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000765

Figure 7. A model for the in vitro assembly reaction.

Figure 7

The addition of DTT to nuclear extracts (A) leads to disassembly of the VLPs. Following the addition of supercoiled DNA (B) pentamers bind along each DNA molecule. This increases the local concentration of VP1, facilitating concerted assembly. Reassembly may be facilitated by presence of chaperones in the nuclear extracts. Assembly is accompanied by DNA condensation, presumably via the action of topo II. In Step C the capsids are stabilized at pH 5.2.