NANOSTRUCTURES BASED ON VIRAL PROTEINS ASSEMBLY

ALONSO LEONARDO; GONZALO DE PRAT GAY

Buenos Aires

Encuentro; Nanomercosur 2013; 2013

Fundación Argentina de Nanotecnología

Many viral proteins tend to self-assembly spontaneously under appropriate conditions. Naturally formed nanostructures (such as viruses, flagella or simpler protein oligomers) can be engineered to acquire specific traits of interest in biomedicine, for instance through the addition of cell targeting agents for desired biodistribution and specific delivery of associated drugs. However, fully artificial constructs would be highly desirable regarding finest tuning and adaptation to precise therapeutic purposes. Although engineering of protein assembling is still not understood, arising principles and promising strategies of protein manipulation point out the rational construction of nanoscale protein cages as a feasible concept, reachable through conventional recombinant DNA technologies and microbial protein production.