Figure 3.

Asymmetric coupling of intact cpTMV assemblies. (a) A scheme shows the covalent oxidative coupling of noncanonical amino acids on separate cpTMV disk assemblies. (b) Mass spectrometry shows both reduction of cpTMV-S65-3NY to cpTMV-S65-3AY and coupling of the monomers of the limiting protein, cpTMV-S65-3AY, at an estimated 31% yield (expected MW: 35,547 Da). (c) A size increase after oxidative coupling was verified and assemblies were isolated using SEC. Omitting the oxidant or one of the coupling partners, cpTMV-S65-pAF, prevented the size increase. (d) The increase in size and isolation of assemblies from individual disks was verified by DLS. (e) TEM images show disks coupled on their periphery through face and side views of coupled assemblies. A collection of TEM images is found in Figure S6.