title: Encapsidated atom-transfer radical polymerization in Qβ virus-like nanoparticles.
abstract: Virus-like particles (VLPs) are unique macromolecular structures that hold great promise in biomedical and biomaterial applications. The interior of the 30 nm-diameter Qβ VLP was functionalized by a three-step process: (1) hydrolytic removal of endogenously packaged RNA, (2) covalent attachment of initiator molecules to unnatural amino acid residues located on the interior capsid surface, and (3) atom-transfer radical polymerization of tertiary amine-bearing methacrylate monomers. The resulting polymer-containing particles were moderately expanded in size; however, biotin-derivatized polymer strands were only very weakly accessible to avidin, suggesting that most of the polymer was confined within the protein shell. The polymer-containing particles were also found to exhibit physical and chemical properties characteristic of positively charged nanostructures, including the ability to easily enter mammalian cells and deliver functional small interfering RNA.
authors: Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, California 92037, United States.
authors: Marisa L
authors: ML
authors: Hovlid
authors: Jolene L
authors: JL
authors: Lau
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Breitenkamp
authors: Cody J
authors: CJ
authors: Higginson
authors: Burkhardt
authors: B
authors: Laufer
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Manchester
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Finn
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry; D001665:Binding Sites; D001692:Biological Transport; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010316:Particle Size; D058105:Polymerization; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000588:Amines; D012367:RNA, Viral; C006903:carbopol 940