NANOARRAYS OF SINGLE VIRUS PARTICLES, METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR THE FABRICATION AND USE THEREOF

摘要

A novel coordination chemistry or metal ion binding approach to controlling the site- isolation and orientation of virus particles, such as TMV, on a nanoarray template generated by lithography including Dip Pen Nanolithography. By using the surface chemistry that is inherent in many viruses, metal-ion based or inorganic coordination chemistry was used to immobilize individual virus particles without the need for their genetic modification. Single particle control will enable a wide variety of studies involving viruses that are not possible with microarrays because of the size mismatch between the architecture of the virus and the features that make up such arrays. These include: single particle, single cell infectivity studies, the exploration of such structures as templates in materials synthesis and molecular electronics, and studies aimed at understanding how surface presentation can influence their bioactivity. This is a pioneering example of such control at the single-particle level, and therefore, commercial use of nanoarrays in biological systems.