At first, highly-charged molecules were synthesized and employed as molecular glue for protein electrostatic assembly. These molecules were employed to direct the rod-like tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) protein as scaffold for anisotropic materials (E. Anaya-Plaza et al., Adv. Mater. 2019). The preparation of high aspect‐ratio fibers was achieved by step‐wise decrease of the NaCl concentration in the media. This electrostatically driven assembly is fully reversible upon NaCl addition. The hybrids where structurally characterized by means of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and microscopy, including cryo-EM reconstruction. The oxidizing activity was tested by irradiating the sample at adequate wavelengths, photogenerating reactive oxygen species. The hybrids showed remarkable structural stability, allowing their incorporation in continuous-flow sets-up that performed resiliently over 10 cycles with a total irradiation time of 20 minutes, which proves their ability to perform in water remediation technologies.
Other morphologies were explored, employing toroidal proteins. Conjugation with cationic dyes was achieved, yielding rod-like aggregates that present inner pores able to undergo minerallization or external decoration.
The project's results were diseminated in the scientific community and the general public in form of participation in congresses, press releases and open public meetings.