Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecule Was Created To Catch Viruses and To Get Rid Of Several Host Pollutants2/28/2023 Researchers have engineered a Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecule from DNA origami building blocks. The team created a shell that could capture and engulf viruses, such as hepatitis B and adeno-associated viruses, to prevent them from entering cells. To build the shell of the Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecul, the team used symmetry principles known from natural viral capsids. They found that the number of structural units on each face determines how large an icosahedral shell can be, called its triangulation number (T).
Each icosahedral side of the Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecul is formed by one structural unit (h+k) or two structural units, but the T-number of these units can vary between viruses. For example, a T = 3 virus has three total structural units forming the icosahedral sides, but a T = 7 virus has seven structural units forming those sides. The team adapted those symmetry principles to create the DNA-origami triangles that make up their icosahedral shells. The edges of the triangles were beveled and modified with shape-complementary protrusions and recesses that are necessary for trapping viruses. Spiky nanoparticles are small spiky molecules, which are useful for photothermal tumor ablation. They absorb near-infrared radiation from lasers and emit heat, which can kill cancer cells. The spiky nature of these nanoparticles may also make them more effective at killing bacteria, which are resistant to antibiotics. Researchers are now developing a method along with Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecule for producing antibacterial agents as spiky nanoparticles. Despite the potential of these Nanoscale Virus Trap Moleculs to kill bacteria, scientists are not completely sure how the particles interact with their environment. To this end, they are using a spectroscopic analysis technique to see how these particles interact with their surroundings. In addition, they are studying how the Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecule affects a cell's physiology. For instance, they are finding out how they metabolize proteins, which could help them determine how well a cell is responding to the treatment. They are also testing how the particles act on a cell's DNA, which could lead to better targeting of cancer cells. In addition to acting as an effective medical countermeasure against SARS-CoV-2, Nanoscale Virus Trap Molecule can also be loaded with therapeutic payloads to deliver drugs to specific tissue regions. For example, researchers have engineered macrophage-derived nanosponges that can be cloaked in fragments of lung epithelial cell membrane and then loaded with lopinavir, an antiviral drug with in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2. The cellular nanosponges are a thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair, and the sponges are coated with cell membranes that imitate the outer membranes of either lung epithelial type II cells or macrophage cells. The membranes also cover the sponges with the same protein receptors that SARS-CoV-2 uses to invade host cells. The team tested the nanosponges against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and found that they effectively neutralized the virus. Moreover, the decoys were able to trap the virus particles before they could enter the cell. As a result, the nanosponges can block viral infection without interfering with natural cells or blocking their permeability to nutrients.
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November 2023
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