Abstract
Viruses have recently emerged as promising nanomaterials for biotechnological applications. One of the most important applications of viruses is phage display, which has already been employed to identify a broad range of potential therapeutic peptides and antibodies, as well as other biotechnologically relevant polypeptides (including protease inhibitors, minimizing proteins, and cell/organ targeting peptides). Additionally, their high stability, easily modifiable surface, and enormous diversity in shape and size, distinguish viruses from synthetic nanocarriers used for drug delivery. Indeed, several plant and bacterial viruses (e.g., phages) have been investigated and applied as drug carriers. The ability to remove the genetic material within the capsids of some plant viruses and phages produces empty viral-like particles that are replication-deficient and can be loaded with therapeutic agents. This review summarizes the current applications of plant viruses and phages in drug discovery and as drug delivery systems and includes a discussion of the present status of virus-based materials in clinical research, alongside the observed challenges and opportunities.
Highlights
In the 18th century, the term “virus” was defined as a morbid principle or poisonous substance produced in the body as the result of some disease [1]
In the 1940s bacteriophages regained attention in the field of molecular biology. They were notably used as model organisms to understand the genetic basis of virus–host interactions in addition to enabling the discovery of several genetic processes such as transcription, translation, recombination, and regulation of gene expression [7]. While these discoveries reshaped the paradigm of virology, in 1985 the invention of the so-called “phage display” technique greatly broadened the field to new areas of application including drug discovery, vaccine development, antibody engineering, enzyme evolution, and gene therapy [8,9]
This review summarizes the current applications of plant and bacterial viruses in medicine, with a focus on virus-based drug discovery approaches and drug delivery systems
Summary
In the 18th century, the term “virus” was defined as a morbid principle or poisonous substance produced in the body as the result of some disease [1]. In the 1940s bacteriophages regained attention in the field of molecular biology They were notably used as model organisms to understand the genetic basis of virus–host interactions in addition to enabling the discovery of several genetic processes such as transcription, translation, recombination, and regulation of gene expression [7]. Thirty-three years after its development, the contribution of phage display technology to the selection of peptides and antibodies was recognized by a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018 [10] Another milestone was reached around the year 2000, when viruses were recognized as nanomaterials with the ability to encapsulate molecules within their capsids, to template biomineralization of inorganic materials, and to form self-assembled 2D/3D nanostructures. The review begins with an overview of the structure and chemistry of the most common plant and bacterial viruses used in nanomedicine and is concluded by a discussion of the present status of virus-based materials in clinical research, alongside current existing challenges and opportunities
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