Exploratory Research on Biosystems at the Nanoscale: Kinesin-Powered Micro-Chemo-Mechanical Systems (MCMS).

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Abstract

One of the fundamental processes occurring in biological cells is directed active transport. Numerous cellular components must be processed, packaged, sorted, and delivered to specific locations at specific times within cells. This essential moving about of the cell's components is carried out, in large part, by kinesin motor proteins and the microtubule cytoskeleton, which function as an intracellular railroad system-a railroad with nanometer-scale locomotives running on nanometer-scale tracks. The long-term objective of the proposed research is to take the molecular machinery of this sub-cellular railroad out of the cell and integrate it into micron-scale devices with moving parts driven by kinesin motors-MicroChemoMechanical Systems (MCMS). The specific objectives are: (1) To explore new methods to "lay the tracks" for kinesin motors. The kinesin engines will only go where there are appropriate gauge tracks. Precise positioning of the microtubule tracks will be essential for developing kinesin-based MCMS. (2) Kinesin-powered microchips. Methods to specifically and selectively couple kinesin to the materials commonly used in microfabrication will be developed and adapted to moving microfabricated machine parts like levers, or gears, or rotors. This will be the first step toward coupling kinesin generated forces to a useful action in an MCMS. (3) Construction of a prototype MCMS. From moving silicon microparts, the pieces will be assembled into a prototype MCMS - a kinesin-powered micro-generator. The ability to take the cellular machinery of active transport out of the cell and integrate it into microstructures - into MCMS - could lead to profound changes in several areas of engineering. "Bottom up" engineering, using nanometer parts and machines from Biology to build up microdevices, could ultimately breech the barriers of shrinking conventional macrodevices to micro-dimensions, at least for some applications. Kinesin-powered microgenerators, or micropumps, as well as devices with kinesin-actuated gates, valves, mirrors, or switches can be imagined.