Dramatic thermal stability of virus-polymer conjugates in hydrophobic solvents.
We have developed a method for integrating the self-assembling tobacco mosaic virus capsid into hydrophobic solvents and hydrophobic polymers. The capsid was modified at tyrosine residues to display an array of linear poly(ethylene glycol) chains, allowing it to be transferred into chloroform. In a subsequent step, the capsids could be transferred to a variety of hydrophobic solvents, including benzyl alcohol, o-dichlorobenzene, and diglyme. The thermal stability of the material against denaturation increased from 70 °C in water to at least 160 °C in hydrophobic solvents. With a view toward material fabrication, the polymer-coated TMV rods were also incorporated into solid polystyrene and thermally cast at 110 °C. Overall, this process significantly expands the range of processing conditions for TMV-based materials, with the goal of incorporating these templated nanoscale systems into conductive polymer matrices.
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.
Patrick G
PG
Holder
Daniel T
DT
Finley
Nicholas
N
Stephanopoulos
Ross
R
Walton
Douglas S
DS
Clark
Matthew B
MB
Francis
D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014027:Tobacco Mosaic Virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D012997:Solvents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols