Stability of virus nanoparticles on substrates under applied load with atomic force microscope

Abstract

Virus nanoparticles are supramolecular structures containing a nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) core surrounded by a protein layer. In this article, we study the stability of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) nanoparticles on mica, Au and graphite surfaces under applied load by atomic force microscope in the tapping mode. The CPMV nanoparticles adsorbed on the hydrophilic mica and Au surfaces are intact, while on the hydrophobic graphite surface, the CPMV nanoparticles undergo the morphological changes from spherical to ellipsoidal and doughnut shapes with the increase in applied load. An understanding of the stability of the CPMV nanoparticles on substrates is critical in developing some of their applications in nanotechnology.