TOBACCO MOSAIC-VIRUS ADSORPTION ON SELF-ASSEMBLED AND LANGMUIR-BLODGETT MONOLAYERS STUDIED BY TIRF AND SFM

The adsorption of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) on self-assembled and Lan gmuir-Blodgett monolayers was investigated using total internal reflec tion fluorescence (TIRF) spectroscopy and scanning force microscopy (S FM). Substrates were chosen to probe electrostatic, hydrophobic and su rface fluidity effects on TMV adsorption. Positively charged and hydro phobic surfaces demonstrated similar initial rates of TMV adsorption; however, their respective surface TMV coverages differed greatly. Like wise, positively charged surfaces which differed primarily in surface fluidity exhibited similar adsorption rates for TMV, but different TMV surface coverages. In contrast, virus adsorption to negatively charge d and zwitterionic substrates was negligible. To elucidate these diffe rences in adsorption behavior, SFM was used to image the distribution and the aggregation state of adsorbed TMV. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S .A. All rights reserved.