The architecture of viruses: Structures of a key epitope of HCV, a flagellotropic bacteriophage, and the baculovirus nucleocapsid

Viruses are the most abundant biological entity on the planet and infect the entire tree of life. Viruses have an intricate architecture made of proteins which interact with cells and facilitate infection. Using electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, I determined the structure of key components of three viruses: human hepatitis C virus (HCV); a bacterial virus which kills Salmonella typhi; and the baculovirus which infects agricultural pests. My work has validated vaccination targets for HCV and revealed how bacterial phages produce elaborate structures which protect their genome. Importantly, I have elucidated the previously unknown architecture of the baculovirus.