ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes different approaches that allow the encapsulation of materials within the interior cavity of the viral nanoparticles (VNPs). Small molecules can be infused and entrapped into VNPs by making use of the encapsidated cargo, the nucleic acid. The translational repression (TR) operator of the bacteriophage MS2 has been exploited to facilitate loading of MS2 with drugs. The TR stem loop can be chemically modified, and studies have shown that small therapeutic compounds such as the plant toxin ricin A chain or 5-fluorouridine can be covalently attached to the operator. In vivo self-assembly of VNPs is initiated by subtle electrostatic interactions between the ribonucleic acid and the protein subunits; the nucleic acid assists and stabilizes particle formation. The potential of nanoparticle-containing virus-like particles bridges the fields of materials and medicine. Optical spectroscopy indicated a difference between the optical transmission spectrum of a VLP crystal and that of a dilute solution of VLPs.
