Probing molecular mechanisms of M13 bacteriophage adhesion

Abstract

M13 bacteriophages can provide a versatile platform for nanobiotechnology because of their unique biological and physicochemical properties. Polypeptides on their surfaces can be finely tuned on demand through genetic engineering, enabling tailored assembly of multiple functional components through specific interactions. Their versatility has been demonstrated by synthesizing various unprecedented hybrid materials for energy storage, biosensing, and catalysis. Here we select a specific type of genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage (DSPH) to investigate the origin of interactions. The interaction forces between the phage-coated surface and five different functionalized self-assembled monolayers are directly measured using a surface forces apparatus. We confirm that the phages have strong adhesion energies in acidic environments due to π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions, while hydrogen bonding interactions remain relatively weak. These results provide quantitative and qualitative information of the molecular interaction mechanisms of DSPH phages, which can be utilized as a database of the bacteriophage interactions.