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Updated: May 13, 2026
12:31
Chemoselective Modification of Viral Surfaces via Bioorthogonal Click Chemistry
Published on: August 19, 2012
Reengineering viruses and virus-like particles through chemical functionalization strategies
Mark Thomas Smith1, Anna K Hawes, Bradley Charles Bundy
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, United States.
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|March 8, 2013
Summary
Virus-based nanoparticles (VNPs) offer precise control over nanoparticle traits for nanotechnology applications. This review explores genetic and covalent modification strategies to engineer these advanced biomaterials.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Nanotechnology demands advanced control over nanoparticle properties like size, assembly, and stability.
- Viruses possess evolved biological traits making them ideal scaffolds for nanoparticle engineering.
- Virus-based nanoparticles (VNPs) are emerging as key components in drug delivery, vaccines, and imaging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current strategies for engineering virus-based nanoparticles (VNPs).
- To highlight methods for genetically and post-translationally modifying VNPs.
- To focus on covalent functionalization techniques using natural and unnatural amino acids.
Main Methods:
- Review of genetic engineering approaches for VNP development.
- Analysis of noncovalent functionalization strategies for VNPs.
- Detailed examination of covalent modification methods, including unnatural amino acid incorporation.
Main Results:
- Genetic and post-translational modifications are crucial for VNP functionality.
- Covalent modifications offer robust and versatile strategies for VNP functionalization.
- Incorporation of unnatural amino acids expands the toolkit for precise VNP engineering.
Conclusions:
- Virus-based nanoparticles (VNPs) are highly adaptable platforms for advanced nanotechnology.
- Covalent modification strategies, particularly with unnatural amino acids, provide precise control over VNP characteristics.
- Engineered VNPs hold significant promise for diverse applications in medicine and biotechnology.
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