title: Molecular self-assembly of "nanowires"and "nanospools" using active transport.
abstract: Mastering supramolecular self-assembly to a similar degree as nature has achieved on a subcellular scale is critical for the efficient fabrication of complex nanoscopic and mesoscopic structures. We demonstrate that active, molecular-scale transport powered by biomolecular motors can be utilized to drive the self-assembly of mesoscopic structures that would not form in the absence of active transport. In the presented example, functionalized microtubules transported by surface-immobilized kinesin motors cross-link via biotin/streptavidin bonds and form extended linear and circular mesoscopic structures, which move in the presence of ATP. The self-assembled structures are oriented, exhibit large internal strains, and are metastable while the biomolecular motors are active. The integration of molecular motors into the self-assembly process overcomes the trade-off between stability and complexity in thermally activated molecular self-assembly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. hhess@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clemmens
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doot
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D001710:Biotin / Q000737:chemistry; D019921:Biotinylation; D016547:Kinesins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001710:Biotin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D019809:Streptavidin; D016547:Kinesins