The Chemical Measurements and Imaging Program in the Chemistry Division and Chemical and Biological Separations Program in the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems Division support Profs. Stephen Jacobson and Adam Zlotnick at Indiana University to develop nanofluidic devices to study transport and assembly of virus capsids. To improve measurement precision and accurately characterize particle properties, their approach is to measure single particles multiple times and with pores having different dimensions. In this project, simian virus 40 (SV40) is used as the model system. The T=1 SV40 capsid is composed of 12 pentamers and assembles with and without nucleic acid (RNA and DNA) present. Profs. Jacobson and Zlotnick and their students use resistive-pulse sensing, which provides single particle sensitivity in real time and at biologically relevant concentrations. Resistive-pulse sensing combined with rapid on-device mixing permits observation of early time points in the assembly process and the ability to probe pentamers, intermediates, and fully formed capsids without the use of chemical labels.
This project provides a fundamental understanding of how virus-like particles assemble, which is critical in a number of fields, e.g., medicine, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and materials. The measurement techniques developed in this project can be applied to understanding a range of naturally occurring and synthetic assembly systems. Undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity to develop state-of-the-art nanoscale fabrication, imaging, and measurement techniques. The project also teaches elementary students about millimeter, micrometer, and nanometer length scales and high school students the concepts of separation and diffusion at the micro- and nanoscale.
