Capsids

Capsids are protective protein structures that are composed of thousands of identical protein subunits, known as capsomeres, which hold nucleic acid molecules like DNA or RNA. Capsids are extremely important for the delivery and stability of genetic material in viruses and bacteria. They can also be used in nanotechnological applications as delivery systems to target specific cells or tissues. Furthermore, capsids are also used in transfection experiments, in which foreign DNA or RNA is inserted into a host, in order to study gene expression, gene therapy, and protein production.