Dynamic guiding of motor-driven microtubules on electrically heated, smart polymer tracks

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Viktor Schroeder - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Till Korten - , Chair of BioNano-Tools (Author)
  • Heiner Linke - (Author)
  • Stefan Diez - , Chair of BioNano-Tools, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Ivan Maximov - , Lund University (Author)

Abstract

Biomolecular motor systems are attractive for future nanotechnological devices because they can replace nanofluidics by directed transport. However, the lack of methods to externally control motor-driven transport along complex paths limits their range of applications. Based on a thermo-responsive polymer, we developed a novel technique to guide microtubules propelled by kinesin-1 motors on a planar surface. Using electrically heated gold microstructures, the polymers were locally collapsed, creating dynamically switchable tracks that successfully guided microtubule movement.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3434-3438
Number of pages5
JournalNano letters
Volume13
Issue number7
Publication statusPublished - 10 Jul 2013
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 84880156150
ORCID /0000-0002-0750-8515/work/142235532

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

Keywords

  • Energy Transfer, Heating/methods, Kinesins/chemistry, Microtubules/chemistry, Molecular Motor Proteins/chemistry, Motion, Transducers