MSB Online Seminar: Programmable Icosahedral Shell System Based on the Principle of Viral Capsids.

Topic: Programmable Icosahedral Shell System Based on the Principle of Viral Capsids.

Speaker: Christian Sigl, Dietz Group

Date and Time: Tuesday, 18 May 2021, 1:00 pm

Abstract: Viruses encapsulate their genome with a protein-capsid to protect it from the extracellular environment. A great number of these capsids have icosahedral symmetry and follow the principle of quasi-equivalence. Here, we describe a programmable icosahedral canvas that is based on the principle of virus capsids and allows self-assembly of a family of icosahedral shells. The canvas is formed from triangular building blocks constructed from DNA. Various user-defined objects can be sculpted on the canvas, including full shells, half shells, and shells with user-defined apertures. We experimentally created shells with molecular masses ranging from 43 to 925 Megadaltons (8 to 180 subunits) and with internal cavity diameters ranging up to 280 nm. The shells form in one-step reactions with few defects and at high yields up to 95%. We used cryo-electron microscopy to validate the structure of all shells. The shells can easily be functionalized with other molecules and provide the basis for a variety of applications.