1 research outputs found
Rod-Like Virus-Based Multiarm Colloidal Molecules
We
report on the construction of multiarm colloidal molecules by
tip-linking filamentous bacteriophages, functionalized either by biological
engineering or chemical conjugation. The affinity for streptavidin
of a genetically modified vector phage displaying Strep-tags fused
to one end of the viral particle is measured by determining the dissociation
constant, <i>K</i><sub>d</sub>. In order to improve both
the colloidal stability and the efficiency of the self-assembly process,
a biotinylation protocol having a chemical yield higher than 90% is
presented to regioselectively functionalize the cystein residues located
at one end of the bacteriophages. For both viral systems, a theoretical
comparison is performed by developing a quantitative model of the
self-assembly and interaction of the modified viruses with streptavidin
compounds, which accurately accounts for our experimental results.
Multiarm colloidal structures of different valencies are then produced
by conjugation of these tip-functionalized viruses with streptavidin
activated nanoparticles. We succeed to form stable virus-based colloidal
molecules, whose number of arms, called valency, is solely controlled
by tuning the molar excess. Thanks to a fluorescent labeling of the
viral arms, the dynamics of such systems is also presented in real
time by fluorescence microscopy