Figure 7:
An example of binding of the final VP1 pentamer to an N=11 capsid during a simulation using ∈ = 8 kBT,λd = 1.0 nm, qeff = 0, and a 10 nm template. The black arrows point forward in time, while the red arrow points to a decrease in the total free energy. The process requires cooperative interactions between the final VP1 pentamer, the bound VP1 pentamers, and the template. This process shows that the C-terminal ligands stabilize the 12th VP1 pentamer on the partially assembled capsid until it finds an orientation where it can bind to the surface of the template. To find this orientation, the VP1 pentamer searches a rough free energy landscape and thus it is important that the interactions are weak enough to be reversible.