title: Self-contained, biomolecular motor-driven protein sorting and concentrating in an ultrasensitive microfluidic chip.
abstract: We developed a molecular sorter that operates without external power or control by integrating the microtubule-based, biological motor kinesin into a microfluidic channel network to sort, transport, and concentrate molecules. In our devices, functionalized microtubules that capture analyte molecules are steered along kinesin-coated microchannel tracks toward a collector structure, concentrated, and trapped. Using fluorescent analyte molecules and nanoliter sample volumes, we demonstrated 14 fM sensitivity, even in the presence of high concentrations of other proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Chih-Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming-Tse
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Katsuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurabayashi
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meyhofer
mesh_terms: D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021381:Protein Transport; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity