Nanoimaging, Molecular Interaction, and Nanotemplating of Human Rhinovirus

Capturing and detecting viruses require specialized platforms and analysis techniques. The atomic force microscope (AFM) offers not only tremendously high spatial and topographic resolution, but also allows localizing single molecules and determining their interaction on a molecular level. AFM makes possible (a) generating nanopatterned surfaces, (b) detecting protein and viral pathogen captured in these specific regions over time, and (c) gathering information about binding parameters. A section of this chapter describes, for instance, the measurement of kinetic parameters governing the first step of viral infection the attachment of a human rhinovirus to a cell at the single-molecule level. We review the principles of AFM and its applications in the analysis of nanopatterned surfaces and protein arrays, in the detection of proteins and viruses, and in the characterization of the interactions of these viruses with their cognate receptors under physiological conditions.