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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Synthesis of Infectious Bacteriophages in an E. coli-based Cell-free Expression System
Published on: August 17, 2017
Cobalt ion mediated self-assembly of genetically engineered bacteriophage for biomimetic Co-Pt hybrid material
Soo-Kwan Lee1, Dong Soo Yun, Angela M Belcher
1Biological Engineering Division, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Abstract:
Biological scaffolds are used for the synthesis of inorganic materials due to their ability to self-assemble and nucleate crystal formation. We report the self-assembly of engineered M13 bacteriophage as a template for Co-Pt crystals. A M13 phage library with an octapeptide library on the major coat protein (pVIII) was used for selection of binders to cobalt ions. Fibrous structures with directionally ordered M13 phage were obtained by interaction with cobalt ions. Co-Pt alloys were synthesized on the fibrous scaffold, and their magnetic properties were characterized. The mineralization showed organized nanoparticles on fibrous bundles. This approach using the phage pVIII library allows for genetic selection that both induces assembly of the phage and directs mineralization of the selected inorganic material.
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