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Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Large-scale Production of Recombinant RNAs on a Circular Scaffold Using a Viroid-derived System in Escherichia coli
Published on: November 30, 2018
Plant Virus-Like Particles for RNA Delivery
Kendra Ramirez-Acosta1,2, Elizabeth Loredo-García1,2, M Mariana Herrera-Hernandez1,2
1Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Abstract:
Plant viruses such as brome mosaic virus and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus are effectively purified through PEG precipitation and sucrose cushion ultracentrifugation. Increasing ionic strength and an alkaline pH cause the viruses to swell and disassemble into coat protein subunits. The coat proteins can be reassembled into stable virus-like particles (VLPs) that carry anionic molecules at low ionic strength and through two-step dialysis from neutral pH to acidic buffer. VLPs have been extensively studied due to their ability to protect and deliver cargo, particularly RNA, while avoiding degradation under physiological conditions. Furthermore, chemical functionalization of the surface of VLPs allows for the targeted drug delivery. VLPs derived from plants have demonstrated great potential in nanomedicine by offering a versatile platform for drug delivery, imaging, and therapeutic applications.
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