Lag periods during the self-assembly of {[Mo.sub.72][Fe.sub.30]} macroions: connection to the virus capsid formation process

The static and dynamic laser light-scattering methods are used for studying the kinetic properties of the self-assembly of hydrophilic Keplerate-type polyoxometalate (POM) {[Mo.sub.77][Fe.sub.30]} macroanions into single-layer, vesicle-like blackberry structures in solutions. The kinetics of the blackberry formation of the {[Mo.sub.77][Fe.sub.30]} macroanions have shown similarities of the self-assembly of virus capsid proteins into spherical capsid shells, which has shown possible connections between the self-assembly behaviors of inorganic species and biological macromolecules.