The close proximity of the E95-E97 interaction and tight coordination of Ca2+ in the Ca2+/acidic pH state site suggests a mechanism in which, upon pH change and Ca2+ removal, repulsive forces between charged carboxylates destabilize the network of interactions at lower radius releasing the switch for viral disassembly. Schematic presentation of coat protein with neighboring subunits including main residues of TMV in the Ca2+/acidic pH state (left) and in water (right) responsible for the metastable disassembly switch. 