Figure 10
From: Silicon nitride: a potent solid-state bioceramic inactivator of ssRNA viruses
(a) Attraction by deprotonated silanol groups at the surface of Si3N4 toward the C-COOH terminus of methionine; (b) formation of hydrogen bond at the thioether with hydrogen bond acceptor silylamine sites on the Si3N4 surface; and, (c) bonding of secondary silylamines to carbon of the methionine methyl group CH3 to form a quaternary amine with positive charge, while releasing a homocysteine molecule in the environment. In the lower panels, the process of genome degradation by alkaline transesterification through hydrolysis of RNA phosphodiester bond: (d) deprotonation of the 2′-hydroxyl group by ammonia base; (e) formation of transient pentaphosphate unit; and, (f) interaction with acidic ammonium leading to RNA fragmentation by self-cleavage.
