Compensatory Roles of Electrostatics and Depletion Force on the Aggregation of Filamentous Viruses and Protein Filaments

聚集的物理机制与广泛的材料应用有关，如食品、纸张、石油产品、化妆品和药品的加工。支撑各种聚集现象的是两种基本的物理机制，即溶液静电和耗竭效应。本项目旨在定量地确定静电和耗竭力对蛋白质细丝和丝状病毒聚集的补偿作用。选择表征良好的生物聚合物进行物理性质的研究，在两个传统上独立的学科之间的科学探究中产生了协同作用。实验技术的组合将被利用，包括光学显微镜，光散射，原子力显微镜，和小角度x射线散射。该项目的成功完成将导致实际应用，例如操纵蛋白质和病毒聚集体的方法，生物分子的分离以及人类疾病的潜在治疗。本项目的教学部分是一项生物物理的倡议，包括课堂教学和实验室训练。该项目为研究生和本科生提供了在物理和生物化学界面的多学科技术的宝贵经验。特别承诺鼓励弱势学生参与学习和研究活动。聚集现象广泛存在于液体食品、石油产品、化妆品和药品等材料中。支撑这些现象的是两个基本的物理机制：(1)离子和带电分子之间的静电相互作用，(2)溶液中大量分子的持续轰击和分选，在热力学术语中称为熵效应。本项目旨在定量地确定这两种主要作用对蛋白细丝和丝状病毒聚集的补偿作用。选择表征良好的生物聚合物进行物理性质的研究，在两个传统上独立的学科之间的科学探究中产生了协同作用。实验技术的组合将被利用，包括光学显微镜，光散射，原子力显微镜，和小角度x射线散射。该项目的成功完成将导致实际应用，例如操纵蛋白质和病毒聚集体的方法，生物分子的分离以及人类疾病的潜在治疗。本项目的教学部分是一项生物物理的倡议，包括课堂教学和实验室训练。该项目为研究生和本科生提供了在物理和生物化学界面的多学科技术的宝贵经验。特别承诺鼓励弱势学生参与学习和研究活动。

The physical mechanisms of aggregation are relevant to a broad range of material applications such as the processing of food, paper, petroleum products, cosmetics, and drugs. Underpinning a variety of aggregation phenomena are two fundamental physical mechanisms, namely solution electrostatics and the depletion effect. This project seeks to quantitatively define the compensatory roles of electrostatics and the depletion force on aggregation of protein filaments and filamentous viruses. The selection of well-characterized biopolymers for the study of physical properties brings out a synergy in scientific inquiry across two traditionally separate disciplines. A combination of experimental techniques will be utilized, including optical microscopy, light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering. A successful completion of the project will lead to practical applications such as methods for the manipulation of protein and virus aggregates, separation of biomolecules, and potential treatment of human diseases. The educational part of this project is a biological physics initiative with both classroom teaching and lab training. The project provides graduate and undergraduate students with valuable experience in multidisciplinary techniques at the interface of physics and biochemistry. A special commitment is made to encourage underrepresented students in the learning and research activities. Aggregation phenomena occur in a broad range of materials such as liquid food, petroleum products, cosmetics, and drugs. Underpinning these phenomena are two fundamental physical mechanisms: (1) the electrostatic interactions between ions and charged molecules, and (2) the constant bombardment and sorting of numerous molecules in solution described as the entropic effect in thermodynamic terms. This project seeks to quantitatively define the compensatory roles of these two major effects on the aggregation of protein filaments and filamentous viruses. The selection of well-characterized biopolymers for the study of physical properties brings out a synergy in scientific inquiry across two traditionally separate disciplines. A combination of experimental techniques will be utilized, including optical microscopy, light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering. A successful completion of the project will lead to practical applications such as methods for the manipulation of protein and virus aggregates, separation of biomolecules, and potential treatment of human diseases. The educational part of this project is a biological physics initiative with both classroom teaching and lab training. The project provides graduate and undergraduate students with valuable experience in multidisciplinary techniques at the interface of physics and biochemistry. A special commitment is made to encourage underrepresented students in the learning and research activities.