The role of the encapsulated cargo in microcompartment assembly
Fig 4
Dependence of shell size on the driving force for pentamer addition.
The mean shell size (number of hexamers + 12 pentamers) is shown as a function of the pentamer/hexamer stoichiometry ratio ρp/ρh for indicated values of the pentamer/hexamer affinity ratio εPH/εHH for simulations with cargo. Results from empty shell simulations are also shown for εPH/εHH = 1.3. Snapshots of typical assembly morphologies for indicated parameter values are shown around the plot. In these simulations the hexamer concentration, hexamer-hexamer affinity, and hexamer-shell affinity, and bending modulus were fixed at , εHH = 1.8, εCC = 1.65, εSC = 8.5, and κs = 10kBT.