Ignacio Casuso

(collaborators: Juan Reguera from the Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologuiques Laboratory, Marseille, France; Pedro-José de Pablo from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain; and Yves Gaudin from the Institut de Biologie Integrative de la Cellule, Paris-Saclay, France)

The study of the mechanical properties of viruses has become fundamental in physical virology. It is crucial not only to know the structure of viral-nucleic acid complexes, but also the physical properties at the nanoscale such as the mechanical stability, elasticity, and dynamical responses of viruses to changes in the environmental conditions, lile pH, and to the interaction with target molecules like the host cell membranes. Only the Atomic Force Microscopy can provide this sort of information. Structural Biology techniques such as Electron-microscopy or X-Ray diffraction cannot assess this information.

Funded project:Molecular basis of rhabdovirus entry into the host cell
http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/Project-ANR-15-CE11-0020