title: Utilisation of plant viruses in bionanotechnology.
abstract: Bionanoscience/technology sits at the interface of chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, engineering and medicine and involves the exploitation of biomaterials, devices or methodologies on the nanoscale. One sub-field of bionanoscience/technology is concerned with the exploitation of biomaterials in the fabrication of new nano-materials and/or -devices. In this Perspective we describe examples of how plant viruses, focusing particularly on cowpea mosaic virus, a naturally occurring pre-formed sphere-like nanoparticle, are being used as templates and/or building blocks in bionanoscience and indicate their potential for future application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicole F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology; D009029:Mosaic Viruses; D036103:Nanotechnology