title: Steric and electrostatic complementarity in the assembly of two-dimensional virus arrays.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA. ccheung2@unl.edu
authors.forename: Chin Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Alexander I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: Erik J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterji
authors.forename: Renat F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sabirianov
authors.forename: Wai-Ning
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Tianwei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: DeYoreo
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D004573:Electrolytes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C011934:mica