Nanoscale science and technology with plant viruses and bacteriophages (original) (raw)

Plant virus directed fabrication of nanoscale materials and devices

Virology, 2015

Bottom-up self-assembly methods in which individual molecular components self-organize to form functional nanoscale patterns are of long-standing interest in the field of materials sciences. Such self-assembly processes are the hallmark of biology where complex macromolecules with defined functions assemble from smaller molecular components. In particular, plant virus-derived nanoparticles (PVNs) have drawn considerable attention for their unique self-assembly architectures and functionalities that can be harnessed to produce new materials for industrial and biomedical applications. In particular, PVNs provide simple systems to model and assemble nanoscale particles of uniform size and shape that can be modified through molecularly defined chemical and genetic alterations. Furthermore, PVNs bring the added potential to "farm" such bio-nanomaterials on an industrial scale, providing a renewable and environmentally sustainable means for the production of nano-materials. This...

Tomato bushy stunt viruses (TBSV) in nanotechnology investigated by scanning force and scanning electron microscopy

Colloids and Surfaces B-biointerfaces, 2000

Spherical plant viruses like the tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) allow for multiple applications in nanotechnology due to their shape. In this article, different types of the virus were created by extending coat protein (CP) at carboxylic termini with 2 different charged amino acids by point mutation. The obtained CPs carried 6 aspartic acid (negative charge) and 4 histamine (positive charge) residues. The ability of TBSV to form self assembled monolayers with large ordered areas on native and chemically modified mica will be presented. The structural differences between layers formed by the wild type and by the genetically modified types will be discussed in detail.► Genetically modified tomato bushy stunt virus is applicable as self assembled biomolecule for nanostructures. ► Negative virus particles form a regular surface coverage. ► The interaction between the virus particles and the surface can be explained by electrostatic interaction. ► In future the virus particles will be tested to build electronic devices.

Viruses: incredible nanomachines. New advances with filamentous phages

European Biophysics Journal With Biophysics Letters, 2010

During recent decades, bacteriophages have been at the cutting edge of new developments in molecular biology, biophysics, and, more recently, bionanotechnology. In particular filamentous viruses, for example bacteriophage M13, have a virion architecture that enables precision building of ordered and defect-free two and three-dimensional structures on a nanometre scale. This could not have been possible without detailed knowledge of coat

Nanostructural characterization of Sf9 cells during virus-like particles generation

Scanning, 2016

Sf9 cells (a clonal isolate of Spodoptera frugiperda Sf21 cells) are commonly used to generate recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs). For VLPs generation, Sf9 cells are infected with recombinant baculoviruses (rBV) expressing desired proteins. During rBV infections, Sf9 cells have changes in cell diameters and surface structures. In this study, for the first time, we investigated nanostructural changes of Sf9 cells using atomic force microscopy (AFM) during VLPs generation containing Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein 18 (ROP 18). As results, Sf9 cells were changed to be larger at 2 days after rBV infections. They maintained their sizes and morphologies on day 3 and 4. Based on morphological (perimeter and diameter) and surface roughness (roughness average and root mean square) changes of Sf9 cells observed by AFM, we inferred that these nanostructural changes in Sf9 cell membranes might be due to the production and extrusion of VLPs after rBV infection. Our results suggest that sh...

Advances in Nanotechnology as a Potential Alternative for Plant Viral Disease Management

Frontiers in Microbiology

Plant viruses cause enormous losses in agricultural production accounting for about 47% of the total overall crop losses caused by plant pathogens. More than 50% of the emerging plant diseases are reported to be caused by viruses, which are inevitable or unmanageable. Therefore, it is essential to devise novel and effective management strategies to combat the losses caused by the plant virus in economically important crops. Nanotechnology presents a new tendency against the increasing challenges in the diagnosis and management of plant viruses as well as plant health. The application of nanotechnology in plant virology, known as nanophytovirology, includes disease diagnostics, drug delivery, genetic transformation, therapeutants, plant defense induction, and bio-stimulation; however, it is still in the nascent stage. The unique physicochemical properties of particles in the nanoscale allow greater interaction and it may knock out the virus particles. Thus, it opens up a novel arena ...

Virus-like Particles: Fundamentals and Biomedical Applications

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Nanotechnology is a fast-evolving field focused on fabricating nanoscale objects for industrial, cosmetic, and therapeutic applications. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembled nanoparticles whose intrinsic properties, such as heterogeneity, and highly ordered structural organization are exploited to prepare vaccines; imaging agents; construct nanobioreactors; cancer treatment approaches; or deliver drugs, genes, and enzymes. However, depending upon the intrinsic features of the native virus from which they are produced, the therapeutic performance of VLPs can vary. This review compiles the recent scientific literature about the fundamentals of VLPs with biomedical applications. We consulted different databases to present a general scenario about viruses and how VLPs are produced in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell lines to entrap therapeutic cargo. Moreover, the structural classification, morphology, and methods to functionalize the surface of VLPs are discussed. Finally, dif...

Viruses, Artificial Viruses and Virus-Based Structures for Biomedical Applications

Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2016

Nanobiomaterials such as virus particles and artificial virus particles offer tremendous opportunities to develop new biomedical applications such as drug/gene-delivery, imaging and sensing but also allow to understand more about biological mechanisms. Recent advances within the field of virus-based systems give insights in how to mimic viral structures and virus assembly processes as well as understanding biodistribution, cell/tissue targeting, controlled and triggered disassembly or release and circulation times. All these factors are of high importance for virus-based functional systems and therefore mimicking and enhancing or controlling these aspects to a high degree as is illustrated in this review for delivery and imaging.

Investigation of Virus Crystal Growth Mechanisms byIn SituAtomic Force Microscopy

Physical Review Letters, 1995

For the first time, virus crystal growth dynamics and morphology have been investigated in real time on the nanometer scale. Individual monomers on the (111)face of cubic satellite tobacco mosaic virus (STMV) crystals were resolved and used to determine crystal packing. Growth of STMV proceeded by twoand three-dimensional nucleation to formed "stacks" of islands. No dislocations were observed. Small islands provided an estimate of critical radius size and the free energy of the step edge, o.. Step advancement rates were used to determinate the kinetic coefficient P. Images illustrate mechanisms for defect incorporation and suggest factors that limit growth rate and uniformity.