title: Capillarity-induced disassembly of virions in carbon nanotubes.
abstract: Studying the transport and fate of viruses through nanochannels is of great importance. By using the nanochannel of a carbon nanotube (CNT) as an ideal model, we evaluated the possibility of capillarity-induced viral transport through a closely fitting nanochannel and explored the mechanisms involved. It is shown both experimentally and theoretically that Cowpea mosaic virus can enter CNTs by capillarity. However, when introduced into a nanotube the protein capsid may disassemble. During the initial capillary filling stage, anomalous needle-shaped high pressure exists in the centre of the nanotube's entrance. This high pressure, combining with the significant negative pressure within the nanotube, may account for the disassembly of the virions.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaobin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elaine Barclay
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xianyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Fengbao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang