  We propose that certain patterns (scars) -- theoretically and numerically
predicted to be formed by electrons arranged on a sphere to minimize the
repulsive Coulomb potential (the Thomson problem) and experimentally found in
spherical crystals formed by self-assembled polystyrene beads (an instance of
the {\it generalized} Thomson problem) -- could be relevant to extend the
classic Caspar and Klug construction for icosahedrally-shaped virus capsids.
The main idea is that scars could be produced on the capsid at an intermediate
stage of its evolution and the release of the bending energy present in scars
into stretching energy could allow for shape-changes. The conjecture can be
tested in experiments and/or in numerical simulations.
