Spatially Selective Nucleation of Metal Clusters on the Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Abstract

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is a very stable nanotube complex of a helical RNA and 2130 coat proteins. The special shape makes it an interesting nano‐object, especially as a template for chemical reactions. Here we use TMV as a chemically functionalized template for binding metal ions. Different chemical groups of the coat protein can be used as ligands or to electrostatically bind metal ions. Following this activation step, chemical reduction and electroless plating produces metal clusters of several nanometers in diameter. The clusters are attached to the virion without destroying its structure. Gold clusters generated from an ascorbic acid bath bind to the exterior surface as well as to the central channel of the hollow tube. Very high selectivity is reached by tuning PdII and PtII activations with phosphate: When TMV is first activated with PdII, and thereafter metallized with a nickel–phosphinate bath, 3 nm nickel clusters grow in the central channel; when TMV from phosphate‐buffered suspensions is employed, larger nickel clusters grow on the exterior surface. Phosphate buffers have to be avoided when 3 nm nickel and cobalt wires of several 100 nm in length are synthesized from borane‐based baths inside the TMV channel. The results are discussed with respect to the inorganic complex chemistry of precursor molecules and the distribution of binding sites in TMV.

Deposition of Platinum Clusters on Surface-Modified Tobacco Mosaic Virus

“…[17][18][19][20] TMV has several advantages as a biotemplate. The * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.…”

“…Electroless deposition of metal ions were applied to prepare metal nanoparticle-decorated wt TMV particles. [18][19][20] In a previous study, Pt nanoparticles were deposited on the wt TMV template by the electroless deposition method, resulting in discrete Pt nanoparticle decoration along the TMV template. In performing the electroless deposition of anionic metal ion complexes, an acidic environment under the isoelectric point (pI) of wt TMV is used to associate the negatively charged metal ions with the positively charged wt TMV.…”

Tobacco mosaic virus templated synthesis of one dimensional inorganic–polymer hybrid fibres

“…[16][17][18][19][20][21] The synthesis of SiO 2 -TMV composite fibres has also been studied under strong acid conditions in ethanol. 22 Recently, the deposition of silica on the surface of TMV and an E50Q mutant of TMV was also achieved at a higher pH (>7).…”

“…[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] The virus is assembled from 2130 identical coat proteins arranged helically around a single strand of RNA.…”

Nanoscale device architectures derived from biological assemblies: The case of tobacco mosaic virus and (apo)ferritin

“…In addition, the mold shape can define the NP structure and size, as NP growth is constrained in a confined space with a well-defined shape. 17) Furthermore, in these cases the outer area (exterior) can be used to generate interactions for selfassembly between the mold=NP conjugates.…”