Luis Valiente Martínez - Sicluna

Mr. Luis Valiente Martínez - Sicluna


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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25 April 2023 in Viruses
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MFMiguel Angel Fuertes
Miguel Angel Fuertes
DMDiego Lopez Mateos
Diego Lopez Mateos
LSLuis Valiente Martínez - Sicluna
Luis Valiente Martínez - Sicluna
AHAlicia Rodríguez Huete
Alicia Rodríguez Huete
AVAlejandro Valbuena
Alejandro Valbuena
MMMauricio G. Mateu
Mauricio G. Mateu
The hollow protein capsids from a number of different viruses are being considered for multiple biomedical or nanotechnological applications. In order to improve the applied potential of a given viral capsid as a nanocarrier or nanocontainer, specific conditions must be found for achieving its faithful and efficient assembly in vitro. The small size, adequate physical properties and specialized biological functions of the capsids of parvoviruses such as the minute virus of mice (MVM) make them excellent choices as nanocarriers and nanocontainers. In this study we analyzed the effects of protein concentration, macromolecular crowding, temperature, pH, ionic strength, or a combination of some of those variables on the fidelity and efficiency of self-assembly of the MVM capsid in vitro. The results revealed that the in vitro reassembly of the MVM capsid is an efficient and faithful process. Under some conditions, up to ~40% of the starting virus capsids were reassembled in vitro as free, non aggregated, correctly assembled particles. These results open up the possibility of encapsidating different compounds in VP2-only capsids of MVM during its reassembly in vitro, and encourage the use of virus-like particles of MVM as nanocontainers.