Collaborative Research: Protein engineering and processing of plant viral templates for controlled nanoparticle synthesis

纳米材料具有与其大小相关的独特特性。这些材料的性能由它们的结构控制。因此，它们的制造必须受到严格控制。统一的模板在这类进程中将极为有用。大麦条纹花叶病毒(BSMV)是一种结构高度均一的植物病毒。建议使用源自BSMV的模板作为当前工艺的经济替代方案。从BSMV中提取的病毒样颗粒(VLP)将被设计为生产金属纳米材料的模板。中的研究生和本科生将接受设计和生产这些模板的培训。来自代表性不足群体和普通公众的高中生将通过创新的研讨会参与进来，向他们传授生物工程和纳米材料的力量。BSMV是合成金属纳米材料的极具吸引力的生物模板。与其他生物模板相比，它可以更密集地包裹金属。它与金属前体离子溶液以静电方式相互作用，以沉积更广泛的金属。它只需要较少的加工步骤就可以完全涂上一层。关键的BSMV氨基酸残基在VLP表面金属矿化中的作用将被研究。将采用蛋白质和RNA工程策略来控制生物模板的特性和促进生物模板的稳健性。表面残基将被改变，以促进金属-模板相互作用。将优化制造具有高电导率的生物模板材料的热处理工艺。如果成功，开发的技术将为设计的BSMV生物模板创造一条经济的细菌表达和纯化管道。可以沉积在它们上面的金属的范围将会扩大。对生物模板上金属沉积所涉及的有机-无机相互作用的关键见解将被揭示。项目结果可能阐明BSMV衣壳蛋白如何自组装的结构细节，对易受BSMV感染的谷类作物的感染和治疗具有影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nano-scaled materials have unique properties that are tied to their size. The properties of these materials are controlled by their architecture. As a result, their manufacture must be tightly controlled. A uniform template would be extremely useful in such processes. Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) is a plant virus with highly uniform structure. Using templates derived from BSMV is proposed as an economical alternative to current processes. Virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from BSMV will be designed to act as templates for the production of metallic nanomaterials. Graduate and undergraduate students in will be trained to design and produce these templates. High school students from underrepresented groups and the general public will be engaged through innovative workshops that teach them about the power of biological engineering and nanomaterials. BSMV is an attractive biotemplate for synthesis of metallic nanomaterials. It can be more densely coated with metal than other biotemplates. It interacts electrostatically with metal precursor ion solutions to deposit a wider range of metals. It requires fewer processing steps to coat fully. The role of key BSMV amino acid residues in mediating metal mineralization on the VLP surface will be investigated. Protein and RNA engineering strategies to control biotemplate properties and facilitate biotemplate robustness will be pursued. Surface residues will be altered to facilitate metal-template interactions. Thermal processing to create biotemplated-materials with high electrical conductivities will be optimized. If successful, the techniques developed will create an economical bacterial expression and purification pipeline for designer BSMV biotemplates. The range of metals that ca be deposited on them will be broadened. Key insights into organic-inorganic interactions involved in metal deposition on biotemplates will be uncovered. The project results may elucidate structural details about how BSMV capsid proteins self-assemble, having implications for the infection and treatment of cereal crops that are susceptible to BSMV.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.