Researchers discover interesting biological assembling mechanism

Oct 20, 2011 07:59 GMT  ·  By

A group of scientists at the University of California in Berkeley (UCB) say that they were recently able to develop a method for handling benign, filamentous viruses called M13 phages. The approach enables the team to use the viral agents as structural building blocks for new materials.

The finding could have a significant range of applications, the team says. Details of the research were published in the October 20 issue of the top scientific journal Nature. The study team was led by UCB bioengineer Seung-Wuk Lee.

One of the most common uses for the new virus-based assemblies is the creation of different kinds of thin films. Some types of films can be used to bend light in ways that are otherwise impossible, whereas others have interesting biological, physical and chemical properties.

The technique is now just in its infancy, but the UCB team plans to develop it further in the near future, according to the US National Science Foundation (NSF).