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In-Plane Ordering of a Genetically Engineered Viral Protein Cage |
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| Authors: | Michael T Klem Peter Suci David W Britt |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Chemistry , Montana State University , Bozeman, MT, USA;2. Center for Bioinspired NanoMaterials , Montana State University , Bozeman, MT, USA;3. Center for Bioinspired NanoMaterials , Montana State University , Bozeman, MT, USA;4. Department of Plant Sciences , Montana State University , Bozeman, MT, USA;5. Biological Engineering , Utah State University , Logan, UT, USA |
| Abstract: | Protein cages architectures can be used as nanoscale building blocks to fabricate higher order structures. We show here that in-plane ordering can be induced in films of a genetically engineered viral protein cage bound electrostatically to a planar surface. Surface pressure measurements were used to follow the kinetics of adsorption of the virus nanoparticle at the air-water interface for a range of sucrose and nanoparticle subphase concentrations. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images indicated that with optimal subphase conditions films transferred to solid supports exhibited regions of hexagonal packed 2-D arrays. Potential applications of these monolayer assemblies of protein cage architectures include their use as scaffolds to immobilize functional groups at a surface or as templates for building multilayer films. |
| Keywords: | AFM Air-water interface Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus Hexagonal packed arrays Langmuir-Blodgett Protein cage Sucrose |