Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Sulfolobus
. These organisms were isolated from a solfataric (a volcanic area
that gives off sulfurous hyperthermostable and acid-resistant nature, SIRV2
is potentially an extremely stable VNP, and is therefore a highly interesting
candidate for nanotechnology. Studies toward utilizing SIRV2 as a VNP
platform are still in their infancy, but are promising (Steinmetz
., 2008).
The rod-shaped SIRV2 particles have dimensions of 23 nm by 900 nm
with a central channel of about 6 nm. Multiple copies of the major coat protein
form the virion body with a periodicity of 4.3 nm. Three tail fibers of about
28 nm in length are found at either end of the VNPs, and it is indicated that
the end structures are formed by a high-molecular-weight minor coat protein
(Prangishvili
et al
., 1999) (Fig. 2.13). It was shown that the virus body and the
tail fibers could be selectively labeled using different chemistries (Steinmetz
et al
et al
., 2008) (more details are given in Chapter 4). The ability to install
labels and functionalities on the virion with spatial control in combination
with its thermo- and pH-stability makes SIRV2 an interesting candidate for
nanotechnology.
. enVeloPed VnPs
..1
Chilo Iridescent
Virus
: An Invertebrate Virus
CIV is an invertebrate virus from the family
that mainly infects
insects. The capsids have icosahedral symmetry and are enveloped. CIV has
a linear double-stranded DNA genome (from ICTV database). It is the largest
VNP that has been utilized for nanotechnology, although there has only been
one report in which the capsids (without the envelope) were exploited as
templates for metallization (Radloff
Iridoviridae
., 2005) (discussed in Chapter 6).
The particles are 185 nm in diameter and have
et al
T
= 147 symmetry (Yan
et al
.,
2000).
..
Rubella
Virus
: A Mammalian Virus
RV is from the family
RV is the infectious agent causing the
disease Rubella, which is commonly known as German measles (because it
has been first described by the German physician Friedrich Hoffman in the
mid-18th century). The name rubella is derived from Latin and means “little
red.”
The virions have icosahedral
Togaviridae
.
= 4 symmetry and are enveloped with a
measure of 60-70 nm in diameter. The genome is a single molecule of linear,
T
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