In: Chemistry
Using what you learned about surface tension, how does a virus manage to push its DNA into a cell? Calculate approximate pressures inside a virus and a cell based on standard atmospheric outside pressure and realistic assumptions on surface tension.
The virus pushes its DNA into host , leaving behind the protein capsid. The pressure inside the phage capsid is caused by strong bending of DNA and the repulsive forces between negatively charged chains. It is of the order 5000 kPa. This same internal capsid pressure drives the DNA into the cytoplasm of host cell. The surface tension on the cell surface account for their mutual sorting behaviour. So eventually the one will higher surface tension will occupy a place internally and the one with lower surface tension will be see on its periphery. This is exactly what happens when virus adheres to the host cell.