Biology Reference
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1. Icosahedral
2. Rod-shaped: helical tubes or filaments
3. Enveloped
4. Complex
Examples of each group are shown in Fig. 2.1. Many viruses currently in
use for nanotechnology have icosahedral symmetry (see Section 2.1.2.1).
Approximately 20 different viruses are currently being studied and exploited
as VNPs for nanotechnology, 13 of which are non-enveloped with icosahedral
symmetry. Four are non-enveloped rod-shaped, and three are enveloped.
Figure 2.1
Transmission electron micrographs of viruses illustrating the different
structures. (A)
Cowpea mosaic virus
particles as an example of icosahedral particles.
(B)
Tobacco mosaic virus
particles represent rod-shaped particles. (C) To illustrate
an enveloped virus
1 is shown. (D) Bacteriophage T4
has a complex head and tail structure. Images were reproduced from Steinmetz, N.
F. (2007) Viral capsids as programmable nanobuilding blocks,
Human immunodeficiency virus
, John Innes
Centre, University of East Anglia, Norwich (A, B), and the universal database of the
International Committee on Taxonomy on Viruses (ICTV; C, D).
PhD thesis
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