Metamaterial optical elements self-assembled on protein scaffolds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751913-B2
Application number	US-201414207807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Jan 12, 2012
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A genetically modified cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) protein capsid serves as a scaffold for metal nanoparticles, preferably gold nanospheres, of 15 nm to 35 nm, creating plasmonic nanoclusters. The self-assembled nanoclusters gave rise to a 10-fold surface-averaged enhancement of the local electromagnetic field. Other viral capsids or virus-like proteins may also serve as such scaffolds.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nanocluster comprising:
a cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) protein capsid, the protein genetically modified to incorporate a plurality of cysteine residues providing thiol groups on an exterior surface of the capsid, and
a plurality of metal nanoparticles with a size between 15 nm and 35 nm bound to the thiol groups.

2. The nanocluster of claim 1 , wherein twelve clusters of thiol groups are present on said exterior surface of said capsid.

3. The nanocluster of claim 1 , wherein said protein comprises SEQ ID No: 7.

4. The nanocluster of claim 1 , wherein said metal nanoparticles comprise gold nanoparticles and/or silver nanoparticles.

5. The nanocluster of claim 1 , where said metal nanoparticles are gold nanospheres all of approximately the same size.

6. The nanocluster of claim 5 , wherein said gold nanospheres have a size between 17 nm and 35 nm.

7. A nanocluster comprising:
a viral protein capsid comprising thiol groups suitable for binding metallic nanoparticles and
a plurality of metal nanoparticles with a size between of 15 nm to 35 nm bound to the thiol groups.

8. The nanocluster of claim 7 , wherein said viral protein capsid is in a state of being genetically engineered to incorporate additional cysteine residues.

Assignees

• Ratna Banahalli R
• Soto Carissa M
• Rendell Ronald W
• Fontana Jake
• Deschamps Jeffrey R
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Ratna Banahalli R
• Soto Carissa M
• Rendell Ronald W
• Fontana Jake
• Deschamps Jeffrey R

Classifications

• C07K14/005 Primary

  from viruses · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• B82Y20/00 Primary

  Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• H01B1/12

  organic substances {(organic macromolecular compounds or compositions C08)} · CPC title