title: Switching of actin-myosin motors by voltage-induced pH bias in vitro.
abstract: ATP-driven motor proteins, which function in cell motility and organelle transport, have potential applications as bio-inspired micro-devices; however, their control remains unsatisfactory. Here, we show rapid-velocity control of actin filaments interacting with myosin motors using voltage applied to Pt electrodes in an in vitro motility system, by which immediate increases and decreases in velocity were induced beside the cathode and anode, respectively. Indicator dye revealed pH changes after voltage application, and alternate voltage switching allowed actin filaments to cyclically alter their velocity in response to these changes. This principle provides a basis for on-demand control of not only motor proteins but also pH-sensitive events at a microscopic level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio-Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa 992-8510, Japan. Electronic address: khatori@yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kuniyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatori
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio-Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa 992-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Information Engineering, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata 990-9585, Japan.
authors.forename: Reito
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry; D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000205:Actomyosin / Q000737:chemistry; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002021:Buffers; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002021:Buffers; D003102:Colloids; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000205:Actomyosin; D009218:Myosins
keywords: Actomyosin; Electrolysis; Motility assay; Velocity control; pH-dependence