A synthetic chemomechanical machine driven by ligand-receptor bonding
Gabriel J Lavella1, Amol D Jadhav, Michel M Maharbiz
1Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States. glavella@eecs.berkeley.edu
Nano Letters
|August 28, 2012
Summary
Researchers engineered autonomous molecular machines using DNA origami. These machines can sense ligands, mechanically react, and harvest energy from binding events, offering a new path for chemomechanical systems.
Area of Science:
- Molecular engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Creating synthetic chemomechanical machines is challenging due to difficulties in predicting molecular structure and function.
- Brownian ratchet devices offer an alternative approach for engineering machines with tunable chemomechanical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the design and creation of autonomous molecular machines capable of sensing, mechanical response, and energy extraction from ligand-receptor binding.
- To showcase a specific 100 nm molecular machine that actuates upon streptavidin ligand detection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DNA origami to create 3D motifs with tailored energy landscapes.
- Designed autonomous molecular machines that function as Brownian ratchets.
- Analyzed machine response across a logarithmic concentration range (1:10^1 to 1:10^5 device:ligand).
Main Results:
- Successfully created autonomous molecular machines that actuate in response to specific ligand binding (streptavidin).
- Demonstrated the ability of these machines to sense, mechanically react, and extract energy from molecular interactions.
- Characterized the machines' performance over a wide range of ligand concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Tailoring energy landscapes on DNA origami motifs enables the engineering of functional molecular machines.
- Brownian ratchet devices provide a viable strategy for developing autonomous chemomechanical systems.
- These engineered molecular machines show promise for future technological applications requiring nanoscale actuation and energy harvesting.
Related Concept Videos
02:40Ligand Binding Sites
Proteins are dynamic macromolecules that carry out a wide variety of essential processes; however, the activities of most proteins depend on their interactions with other molecules or ions, known as ligands.
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
02:40Ligand Binding Sites
Proteins are dynamic macromolecules that carry out a wide variety of essential processes; however, the activities of most proteins depend on their interactions with other molecules or ions, known as ligands.
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
00:49Ligand Binding and Linkage
Allosteric proteins have more than one ligand binding site; the binding of a ligand to any of these sites influences the binding of ligands to the other sites. When a protein is allosteric, its binding sites are called coupled or linked. In the case of enzymes, the site that binds to the substrate is known as the active site and the other site is known as the regulatory site. When a ligand binds to the regulatory site, this leads to conformational changes in the protein that can influence the...
00:49Ligand Binding and Linkage
Allosteric proteins have more than one ligand binding site; the binding of a ligand to any of these sites influences the binding of ligands to the other sites. When a protein is allosteric, its binding sites are called coupled or linked. In the case of enzymes, the site that binds to the substrate is known as the active site and the other site is known as the regulatory site. When a ligand binds to the regulatory site, this leads to conformational changes in the protein that can influence the...
01:27Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
01:25Drug-Receptor Bonds
Drug-receptor bonds are formed through various chemical forces when drugs interact with target cells. Covalent bonds, strong and irreversible, are exemplified by DNA-alkylating anticancer agents that inhibit cell division. However, such irreversible drug binding lacks selectivity and can modify the DNA of the surrounding healthy cells. Covalent binding often contributes to tissue toxicity, as seen with chloroform and paracetamol metabolites binding to the liver, causing hepatotoxicity.
In...
In...