In-Plane Ordering of a Genetically Engineered Viral Protein Cage

Abstract Protein cages architectures can be used as nanoscale building blocks to fabricate higher order structures. We show here that in-plane ordering can be induced in films of a genetically engineered viral protein cage bound electrostatically to a planar surface. Surface pressure measurements were used to follow the kinetics of adsorption of the virus nanoparticle at the air-water interface for a range of sucrose and nanoparticle subphase concentrations. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images indicated that with optimal subphase conditions films transferred to solid supports exhibited regions of hexagonal packed 2-D arrays. Potential applications of these monolayer assemblies of protein cage architectures include their use as scaffolds to immobilize functional groups at a surface or as templates for building multilayer films. Keywords: AFMAir-water interfaceCowpea chlorotic mottle virusHexagonal packed arraysLangmuir-BlodgettProtein cageSucrose ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was supported in part by grants form the National Science Foundation (CBET-0709358), Office of Naval Research (N00014-03-1-0692), and the Department of Energy (DE-FG02-07ER46477). Notes One of a collection of papers honoring J. Herbert Waite, the recipient in February 2009 of The Adhesion Society Award for Excellence in Adhesion Science, Sponsored by 3 M.