生物谷報(bào)道：加州理工學(xué)院（Caltech）的科學(xué)家最近發(fā)明了一種自主運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的分子馬達(dá),，它通過DNA聚合釋放的自由能驅(qū)動(dòng)?？茖W(xué)家的靈感來源于多種細(xì)菌病原例如立克次氏體,，它們通過宿主細(xì)胞聚合蛋白質(zhì)“彗尾”釋放的能量驅(qū)動(dòng)自己。研究小組通過將亞穩(wěn)態(tài)的發(fā)夾DNA聚合成雙鏈DNA實(shí)現(xiàn)對(duì)細(xì)菌的模擬,。
研究結(jié)將果發(fā)表在最近一期的NatureNanotechnology上,。
和之前的其它合成分子馬達(dá)相比，新馬達(dá)通過非共價(jià)相互作用驅(qū)動(dòng),，且能在沒有底物的溶液中自由運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn),。作者之一Niles Pierce說：“驅(qū)動(dòng)的運(yùn)動(dòng)通過雜交鏈反應(yīng)（HCR）實(shí)現(xiàn)，亞穩(wěn)態(tài)發(fā)夾DNA和遇到的目標(biāo)分子聚合,。值得注意的是,，在聚合物和發(fā)夾DNA發(fā)生連續(xù)相互作用時(shí)，被驅(qū)動(dòng)的DNA相比不斷生長(zhǎng)的聚合物保持穩(wěn)定,。”
在模仿立克次氏體的“彗尾”過程中,，科學(xué)家使用了原子力顯微鏡來顯示矩形DNA一側(cè)的聚合圖案（這是最近由Paul Rothemund發(fā)明的構(gòu)造納米尺度物體的方法）。而科學(xué)家尚不清楚通過更完整的模仿立克次氏體功能,，納米級(jí)核酸單體聚合是否可以在溶液中自由驅(qū)動(dòng)微觀物體,。
Pierce說：“研究證實(shí)了DNA聚合能為分子自主運(yùn)動(dòng)提供能量。來自NSF分子控制中心的科學(xué)家正在發(fā)展能對(duì)周圍環(huán)境作出反應(yīng)的邏輯分子,。未來這些分子馬達(dá)將可能用于醫(yī)學(xué),、基礎(chǔ)研究和制造業(yè)等。”（援引 教育部科技發(fā)展中心）
原文鏈接：http://www.physorg.com/news108291145.html
原始出處:
Nature Nanotechnology 2, 490 - 494 (2007)
Published online: 29 July 2007 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2007.225
Subject Categories: Molecular machines and motors | Nanobiotechnology
An autonomous polymerization motor powered by DNA hybridization
Suvir Venkataraman1, Robert M. Dirks1, Paul W. K. Rothemund2,3, Erik Winfree2,3 & Niles A. Pierce1,4
Abstract
We present a synthetic molecular motor capable of autonomous nanoscale transport in solution. Inspired by bacterial pathogens such as Rickettsia rickettsii, which locomote by inducing the polymerization of the protein actin at their surfaces to form 'comet tails'1, the motor operates by polymerizing a double-helical DNA tail2. DNA strands are propelled processively at the living end of the growing polymers, demonstrating autonomous locomotion powered by the free energy of DNA hybridization.
Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
Department of Computer Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
Department of Computation & Neural Systems, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
Department of Applied & Computational Mathematics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
Correspondence to: Niles A. Pierce1,4 e-mail: [email protected]
