Self-assembled polyhedra
OwnerArthur J. Olsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Self-assembling multimeric physical models of closed polyhedral structures made of structurally symmetric units, and which mimic the structure and self-assembly characteristics of naturally occurring systems such as viral capsids, are provided. Also provided are methods of creating structurally symmetric units, kits for forming self-assembling physical models of polyhedral structures, and methods of forming the same.
Claims25
A method of creating a closed and self-assembled multimer model structure, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a plurality of structurally symmetric units that form the self-assembled multimer structure, each of said units having a plurality of at least one type of basic components, said basic components comprise at least one type of attachment entity being positioned in or on a portion thereof, said units having structural complementarity to one another so as to form the closed and self-assembled multimer structure upon inducing proximity and orientation of said attachment entities;
- and
- (b) encouraging said plurality of said units to physically interact therebetween via said attachment entities, thereby creating the closed and self-assembled multimer structure.
A kit for creating a physical model of a closed and self-assembled multimer structure, the kit comprising a plurality of structurally symmetric units that form the self-assembled multimer structure, each of said structurally symmetric units having a plurality of at least one type of basic components, said basic components comprise at least one type of attachment entity being positioned in or on a portion thereof, said structurally symmetric units having structural complementarity to one another so as to form the closed and self-assembled multimer structure upon inducing proximity and orientation of said attachment entities;
- such that by encouraging said plurality of said units to physically interact therebetween via said attachment entities, the closed and self-assembled multimer structure is formed.
A closed and self-assembled multimer model structure, comprising a plurality of structurally symmetric units that form the self-assembled multimer structure, each of said units having a plurality of at least one type of basic components, said basic components comprise at least one type of attachment entity being positioned in or on a portion thereof, said units having structural complementarity to one another so as to form the closed and self-assembled multimer structure upon inducing proximity and orientation of said attachment entities.
A method of creating a structurally symmetric unit that form a closed and self-assembled multimer model structure, the method comprising:
- forming the unit;
- and
- positioning least one type of attachment entity in or on the unit;
- whereas:
- the structurally symmetric unit having structural complementarity to identical or different structurally symmetric units, so as to form the closed and self-assembled multimer structure upon inducing proximity and orientation of said attachment entities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.