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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

The Mechanics of (Poro-)Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
Published on: March 10, 2023
Transportation of drug-(polystyrene bead) conjugate by actomyosin motor system
Harsimran Kaur1, Suresh Kumar, Deepak Kukkar
1Biomolecular Electronics and Nanotechnology Division (BEND), Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIO), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sector-30C, Chandigarh, India.
Abstract:
The Nanorobotics and cargo transportation application of molecular motors is of recent intent. The present study explores the transportation of Mesalamine/5-aminosalicylic acid/5-ASA drug by molecular motors. Mesalamine is an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Conjugate of mesalamine and polystyrene (Dia.: 3 microm) beads was prepared by amide linkage between amine (-NH2) group of drug and carboxyl (-COOH) group of the bead. In Fourier Transform Infrared spectra, peaks were observed at 3428.1 and 1654.0 cm(-1) for N-H and C=O stretching bond respectively confirming the amide bond formation between drug and microbeads. Quantification of 5-ASA attached to polystyrene bead was done by UV-vis spectroscopy and it was ascertained that 93% of 5-ASA was loaded on polystyrene beads. Conjugate of drug-polystyrene beads were then covalently attached to actin filaments. Velocity of actin filaments attached to drug loaded beads in in-vitro motility assay reduced to 0.89 microm/s as compared to free actin velocity (4.64 microm/s). This further ascertains the microcomposites formation. The present study provides an insight into the actin-myosin based molecular motor systems for an efficient tool for drug transportation.
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