Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.08.24.265553v1?rss=1 Authors: Currell, F., Villagomez Bernabe, B., Chan, S.-w., Roseman, A., Coulter, J. Abstract: Here we show an interplay between the structures present in ionization tracks and nucleocapsid RNA structural biology, using fast ion beam inactivation of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) virion as an example. This interplay is one of the key factors in predicting dose-inactivation curves for high energy ion beam inactivation of virions. We also investigate the adaptation of well-established cross-section data derived from radiation interactions with water to the interactions involving the components of a virion, going beyond the density-scaling approximation developed previously. We conclude that solving one of the grand challenges of structural biology - the determination of RNA tertiary/quaternary structure structure - is intimately linked to predicting ion-beam inactivation of viruses and that the two problems can be mutually informative. Indeed, our simulations show that fast ion beams have a key role to play in elucidating RNA tertiary/quaternary structure. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info