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Manipulation of herpes simplex virus type 1 by dielectrophoresis
M P Hughes1, H Morgan, F J Rixon
1Bioelectronics Research Centre, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, UK.
Abstract:
The frequency-dependent dielectrophoretic behaviour of an enveloped mammalian virus, herpes simplex virus type 1 is described. It is demonstrated that over the range 10 kHz-20 MHz, these viral particles, when suspended in an aqueous medium of conductivity 5 mS m(-1), can be manipulated by both positive and negative dielectrophoresis using microfabricated electrode arrays. The observed transition from positive to negative dielectrophoresis at frequencies around 4.5 MHz is in qualitative agreement with a simple model of the virus as a conducting particle surrounded by an insulating membrane.