The use of tobacco mosaic virus and cowpea mosaic virus for the production of novel metal nanomaterials

Abstract

Due to the nanoscale size and the strictly controlled and consistent morphologies of viruses, there has been a recent interest in utilizing them in nanotechnology. The structure, surface chemistries and physical properties of many viruses have been well elucidated, which have allowed identification of regions of their capsids which can be modified either chemically or genetically for nanotechnological uses. In this review we focus on the use of such modifications for the functionalization and production of viruses and empty viral capsids that can be readily decorated with metals in a highly tuned manner. In particular, we discuss the use of two plant viruses (Cowpea mosaic virus and Tobacco mosaic virus) which have been extensively used for production of novel metal nanoparticles (<100nm), composites and building blocks for 2D and 3D materials, and illustrate their applications.

“Green” Nanotechnologies: Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Using Plants

“…In the presence of virus/viruslike particles at low concentrations, a decrease in the size of nanoparticles and a 4- to 5-fold increase in their number was observed compared to samples containing no virus ( Fig. 4 B,C ) [58,59]. Interestingly, the amount of formed nanoparticles was significantly less at a high TMV concentration, but viral particles were metallized ( Fig.…”

“…In one of the first studies carried out using this approach, a plant RN A virus with helical symmetry (tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) with a length of 300 nm and a width of 18 nm) or icosahedral particles of the non-infectious bovine papilloma virus (particles with a diameter of 55 nm obtained by self-assembly of the viral envelope protein expressed in plants) were added to silver or gold salts before adding N. benthamiana or barley extracts [58, 59]. In the presence of virus/viruslike particles at low concentrations, a decrease in the size of nanoparticles and a 4- to 5-fold increase in their number was observed compared to samples containing no virus ( Fig.…”

“…For example, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups are accessible on the TMV outer surface as part of the exposed peptide segments of the surface loop and C-terminal region, while amino acid amino groups are accessible in the TMV inner channel [60]. Carbonyl, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups are accessible on the surface of bovine papilloma virus particles [58]. Another important factor allowing viruses and virus-like particles to be considered as effective biomatrices for nanoparticle synthesis is the mutual spatial orientation of active peptide groups due to the structural regularity of these biomatrices.…”

Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles via Biological Entities

“…In a recent study, low concentrations of TMV’s were added to Ag or Au salts before adding plant extracts of Nicotiana benthamiana (Round-leaved native tobacco) or Hordeum vulgare (Barley). The presence of the virus not only decreased the size of the synthesized nanoparticles, but also dramatically increased their numbers compared to the non-virus solutions [191]. The study also revealed that at higher TMV concentrations fewer free nanoparticles were formed and at the same time the TMV acted as a bio-template that underwent metallization to form nanowires.…”

Viral nano-hybrids for innovative energy conversion and storage schemes

“…47 The nucleation and growth of metal clusters (Ag, Au, Pt) on TMV surfaces is instead obtained under reducing conditions. [50][51][52][53] According to tailored reduction protocols, specifically designed for the different metal ions, TMV metallization is selectively achieved on the outer cylindrical surface in the form of coalesced NPs with <10 nm diameter. In addition, since only a rather flexible loop of the TMVCP is present near RNA, metal ions can diffuse within the 4 nm-wide central channel to yield nucleation and constrained growth of aligned metal NPs, in the form of 100-600 nm long metal/alloys NWs with 3-4 nm diameter (e.g.…”