Steric and electrostatic complementarity in the assembly of two-dimensional virus arrays.
A highly ordered assembly of biological molecules provides a powerful means to study the organizational principles of objects at the nanoscale. Two-dimensional cowpea mosaic virus arrays were assembled in an ordered manner on mica using osmotic depletion effects and a drop-and-dry method. The packing of the virus array was controlled systematically from rhombic packing to hexagonal packing by modulating the concentrations of poly(ethylene glycol) surfactant in the virus solutions. The orientation and packing symmetry of the virus arrays were found to be tuned by the concentrations of surfactants in the sample solutions. A phenomenological model for the present system is proposed to explain the assembly array morphology under the influence of the surfactant. Steric and electrostatic complementarity of neighboring virus capsids is found to be the key factors in controlling the symmetry of packing.
Cheung
Chin Li
CL
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA. ccheung2@unl.edu
Rubinstein
Alexander I
AI
Peterson
Erik J
EJ
Chatterji
Anju
A
Sabirianov
Renat F
RF
Mei
Wai-Ning
WN
Lin
Tianwei
T
Johnson
John E
JE
DeYoreo
James J
JJ
D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017798:Comovirus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D019065:Virus Assembly; D014835:Volatilization
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D004573:Electrolytes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C011934:mica