3.2 Nanoreactors characterization
The nanoreactor’s hydrodynamic size was estimated by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). No significant changes in hydrodynamic diameters were found. All the assayed ratios produced VLP-GOx particles with a similar hydrodynamic diameter to the native virus (≈28 nm). The unfunctionalized VLP-GOx showed a hydrodynamic diameter of 28.8 ±7.9 nm, while the functionalized VLP-GOx@HSA showed a value of 29.7 ±13.3 nm (Table 1).
The structure of the VLP-GOx nanoreactors was also characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (Fig. 3). The obtained micrographs of the VLP-GOx nanoreactor show a quasi-spherical shape with similar symmetry to the native BMV virus (28 nm). In addition, functionalized VLP-GOx@HSA nanoreactors show an ornamented outer surface displaying HSA protein molecules on the nanoreactor surface.