M13 Picture

[interstellaryeller]

I snaped this picture early Saturday morning 4/18/2009. 16X30 sec @ iso 1600 stacked with deepsky stacker.

[neufer]

<<M13 is a filamentous bacteriophage composed of circular single stranded DNA (ssDNA) which is 6407 nucleotides long encapsulated in approximately 2700 copies of the major coat protein P8, and capped with 5 copies of two different minor coat proteins (P9, P6, P3) on the ends. M13 plasmids have been studied for its uses in nanostructures and nanotechnology.>>

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<<M13 bacteriophages are filamentous viruses that are about 1 µm long and 5-6 nm in diameter. The virus capsid consists of five different kinds of proteins: p3 and p6 at one end of the virus, p9 and p7 at the other end, and p8 along the major axis. We are currently functionalizing the p8 coat to attach semiconductor and metal nanoparticles. When nanoparticles attach to the surface of the M13, they form a chain around the M13 virus. This pearl necklace type of structure can be used as nanowires. We are currently using CdSe quantum dots to form nanowires for application in solar cells.


Schematic of CdSe quantum dots and Ag nanoparticles templated on M13 bacteriophage

While colloidal semiconductor quantum dot (QD) solar cells (inorganic or polymer-QD hydrids) have been demonstrated and high efficiencies have been predicted, the lack of a continuous path for carriers generated in the QDs to the contacts remains a large problem.>>

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