Deposition of platinum clusters on surface-modified Tobacco mosaic virus

Nanoscaled Pt conductors were prepared from genetically engineered Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) templates through Pt cluster deposition on the outer surface of the TMV. Pt clusters were synthesized and deposited on the engineered TMV with surface-exposed cysteine via the in situ mineralization of hexachloroplatinate anions. This deposition was driven by the specific binding between thiols and the solid metal clusters. In addition, Pt-thiolate adducts are suggested to form on the engineered TMV in aqueous solutions that work as nucleation sites for the formation of the Pt clusters. The specific binding between Pt clusters and the engineered TMV template was investigated using UV/vis spectrophotometry and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis. The electric conductance of Pt-deposited TMV was greater than that of the uncoated TMV virion particles. This result suggests the application of metal cluster-deposited engineered TMV in future electrical devices such as rapid response sensors.