Viral route to semiconductor self-assembly

from the but-what-if-the-viruses-unionize? dept.
Bryan Bruns writes "Researchers have found viruses with protein strands on their surfaces which bind to semiconductors. A Washington Post article, with supporting quotes from some leading researchers, suggests this approach might create templates for nanofabrication, self-assembled like seashells. This reports on an article by Belcher et al. in Nature." It looks like the researchers used artificial selection to enhance the viruses' ability to bond to specific semiconductor materials.