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Self‐repair of biological fibers catalyzed by the surface of a virus crystal
Author(s) -
Kuznetsov Yu. G.,
Malkin A. J.,
McPherson A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
proteins: structure, function, and bioinformatics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.699
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0134
pISSN - 0887-3585
DOI - 10.1002/prot.1104
Subject(s) - crystal (programming language) , nanoscopic scale , materials science , atomic force microscopy , crystal structure , virus , crystallography , nanotechnology , chemistry , biology , virology , computer science , programming language
Helical fibers, presumably proteinaceous and of microbial origin, have been visualized by atomic force microscopy on the surfaces of crystals of satellite tobacco mosaic virus. If the crystals are growing, then the fibers are incorporated intact into the crystal lattice. If broken on the crystal surface, then within a few minutes, the fibers self‐reassemble to reestablish continuity. This, we believe, is the first observation of such a crystal surface–catalyzed repair of a biological structure. The surfaces of virus crystals provide ideal workbenches for the visualization and manipulation of nanoscale objects, particularly extended structures such as these fibers. Proteins 2001;44:392–396. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.