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Elucidating chirality transfer in liquid crystals of viruses
How does the propagation of chirality across various length scales take place?
It unfolds within the intricate playground of virus self-assemblies – used as model system of chiral particles – to form helical liquid crystals. These chiral liquid crystals exhibit a fascinating duality: simple in structure yet complex in behavior. This work explores the physical mechanisms governing chirality transfer for two distinct virus mutants, M13 and Y21M. Despite their high structural similarity, these viruses exhibit cholesteric liquid crystalline phase phases with opposite handedness. This seemingly apparent paradox stems from the subtle interplay between steric repulsion, chiral supramolecular virus deformations, and electrostatic forces.
For the stiff Y21M virus strain, the local electrostatic interactions, which are highly sensitive to both ionic content and the detailed atomic symmetries of the capsid, play a crucial role. In this case, the molecular chirality originates primarily from the subtle helical distribution of surface charges around the symmetry axes of the capsid.
In contrast, the chirality of the M13 virus arises from weak, fluctuation-induced suprahelical deformations of its backbone. This chirality transfer and the resulting helical phase are chiefly driven by steric interactions occuring at the supramolecular length scale of the viruses themselves.
Overall, this study provides a quantitative description of chirality transfer across different length scales. It reveals the complex interplay of competing chiral interactions with opposite signs, governing the emergence of chiral structures and helical morphologies.
- Grelet, E., Tortora, M.M.C. Elucidating chirality transfer in liquid crystals of viruses. Nat. Mater. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-024-01897-x
- https://www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/comment-se-forment-les-cristaux-liquides-biologiques-chiraux
seminar of Prof. Yoshihiko Togawa (Osaka Metropolitan Univeresity) : A role of chirality: Generation and transfer of spin and phonon angular momenta
when ? 05/07, 14h-15h
where ? IECB
The 3 seminars
- On the 16th of May at 1:00 PM, a seminar will be held at LCPO on
'Helical Polymers with Static Memory of Helicity'.
- On the 21th of May during the journée GPR-LIGHT at IOA on
'Double-Stranded Helical Foldamers with Unique Chiroptical Properties and Chiral Functions '
- On the 24th of May during the KiNOA Day at IECB (at 9H05 AM)on
'Helical Polymers with Static Helicity Memory: Synthesis and Applications'
Bulk electrosynthesis of patchy particles with highly controlled asymmetric features
![](https://kinoa.cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Particule-Janus-chirale-300x287.jpg)
Modulation of circularly polarized luminescence by swelling of microgels functionalized with enantiopure [Ru(bpy)3]2+ luminophores
![](https://kinoa.cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/TOC-300x184.jpg)
Chirality Related Properties in Helicene and Tetrathiafulvalene based Materials
Where ? salle de conférences de l'ISM (3e étage)
When ? 22 dec. 2023, 10h30-11h30
Keywords: CISS effect, eMChA effect, Helicene, Conductivity, TTF
Abstract and references on : https://www.ism.u-bordeaux.fr/actualites/dr-narcis-avarvari
Deadline sur PEPR LUMA
Chirogenesis in Solid State and Spontaneous Resolution
https://doi.org/10.1142/9789811259227_0006
![](https://www.worldscientific.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/wspc/books/content/books/2023/12915/12915/20221205-01/12915.cover.jpg)
Disentangling Excimer Emission from Chiral Induction in Nanoscale Helical Silica Scaffolds Bearing Achiral Chromophores
Maria João Álvaro-Martins, José Garcés-Garcés, Antoine Scalabre, Peizhao Liu, Fernando Fernández-Lázaro, Ángela Sastre-Santos, Dario M. Bassani, Reiko Oda ChemPhysChem 2023, 24, e202200573
![Description unavailable](https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/ffc69fe1-0353-4b01-9d7b-78ac6b9e26d8/cphc202200573-toc-0001-m.png)