Viral fibers

Abstract

Long rod shaped M13 viruses were used to fabricate one dimensional (1D) micro- and nanosized diameter fibers by mimic the spinning process of the silk spider. Liquid crystalline virus suspensions were extruded through the micrometer diameter capillary tubes in cross-linking solution (glutaraldehyde). Resulting fibers were tens of micrometers in diameter depending on the inner diameter of the capillary tip. AFM image verified that molecular long axis of the virus fibers were parallel to the fiber long axis. Although aqueous M13 virus suspension could not be spun by electrospinning, M13 viruses suspended in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol were spun into fibers. After blending with highly water soluble polymer, polyvinyl 2-pyrolidone (PVP), M13 viruses was spun into continuous uniform virus blended PVP (virus-PVP) fibers. Resulting virus-PVP electrospun fibers showed intact infecting ability to bacterial hosts after suspending in the buffer solution.

1 - 130 .(canceled) 
     
     
         131 . A fibrous material comprising a plurality of fibers, wherein the fibers comprise one or more fiber spun, aligned, crosslinked, rod-like particles, and wherein the fibers have specific binding sites for binding to a conjugate material. 
     
     
         132 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the rod-like particles have a cross sectional diameter of about 5 nm to about 20 nm, and a length of about 60 nm to about 6,000 nm. 
     
     
         133 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the rod-like particles have a length of about 250 nm to about 1,000 nm and an aspect ratio of at least 25:1. 
     
     
         134 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the rod-like particles are genetically engineered virus particles. 
     
     
         135 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , further comprising a blending material. 
     
     
         136 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the fibrous material is liquid crystalline in the solid state. 
     
     
         137 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , further comprising the conjugate material bound to the rod-like particles. 
     
     
         138 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the conjugate material is a semiconductor material, a ceramic material, a magnetic material, or a metallic material. 
     
     
         139 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the conjugate material is silver or gold. 
     
     
         140 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the conjugate material is a crystalline material. 
     
     
         141 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the conjugate material is a non-crystalline material. 
     
     
         142 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the conjugate material is a drug or enzyme. 
     
     
         143 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the rod-like particles comprise oligopeptide sequences which provide the specific binding. 
     
     
         144 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the rod-like particles have specific binding sites at their ends and along their lengths. 
     
     
         145 . The fibrous materials according to  claim 131 , wherein the fibrous material further comprises polymeric material. 
     
     
         146 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the fibrous material comprises at least 50 wt. % rod-like particles. 
     
     
         147 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the fibrous material comprises at least two different types of rod-like particles. 
     
     
         148 . The fibrous material according to  claim 131 , wherein the rod-like particles are filamentous virus particles and the fibrous material further comprises a blending material. 
     
     
         149 . The fibrous material according to  claim 148 , wherein the filamentous virus particles of the fibrous material retain the ability to infect a host. 
     
     
         150 . The fibrous material according to  claim 148 , wherein the fibrous material can be redissolved into its constituent parts. 
     
     
         151 . A method of converting rod-like particles to fiber form in which the rod-like particles retain their structure in the solid state comprising spinning the rod-like particles into fiber form while controlling concentration, viscosity, and optional use of electric field and blending agent to control the fiber form and retain the structure after spinning. 
     
     
         152 . The method according to  claim 151 , wherein an electric field is used during spinning. 
     
     
         153 . The method according to  claim 151 , wherein the blending agent is used. 
     
     
         154 . The method according to  claim 151 , wherein the concentration is controlled so that a liquid crystalline phase is formed for spinning. 
     
     
         155 . The method according to  claim 151 , wherein the rod-like particles possess selective binding regions that bind a conjugate material. 
     
     
         156 . The method according to  claim 151 , wherein the particles are genetically engineered virus particles. 
     
     
         157 . A material comprising fibrous material comprising rod-like particles. 
     
     
         158 . The material according to  claim 157 , wherein the material is woven. 
     
     
         159 . The material according to  claim 157 , wherein the material is non-woven. 
     
     
         160 . The material according to  claim 157 , wherein the material is a fabric. 
     
     
         161 . A sensor comprising fibrous material comprising rod-like particles. 
     
     
         162 . A biomedical device comprising fibrous material comprising rod-like particles.