Multiplication of Motor-Driven Microtubules for Nanotechnological Applications
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Microtubules gliding on motor-functionalized surfaces have been explored for various nanotechnological applications. However, when moving over large distances (several millimeters) and long times (tens of minutes), microtubules are lost due to surface detachment. Here, we demonstrate the multiplication of kinesin-1-driven microtubules that comprises two concurrent processes: (i) severing of microtubules by the enzyme spastin and (ii) elongation of microtubules by self-assembly of tubulin dimers at the microtubule ends. We managed to balance the individual processes such that the average length of the microtubules stayed roughly constant over time while their number increased. Moreover, we show microtubule multiplication in physical networks with topographical channel structures. Our method is expected to broaden the toolbox for microtubule-based in vitro applications by counteracting the microtubule loss from substrate surfaces. Among others, this will enable upscaling of network-based biocomputation, where it is vital to increase the number of microtubules during operation.
Details
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 926-934 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Nano letters |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 3 |
Publication status | Published - 20 Jan 2022 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
PubMed | 35050639 |
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unpaywall | 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c03619 |
Mendeley | 23bfb783-5e75-3d21-857f-4c7e9e1b0f14 |
ORCID | /0000-0002-0750-8515/work/142235548 |
Keywords
Research priority areas of TU Dresden
DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards
Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- biocomputation, kinesin, microtubule severing, molecular motor-based transport, multiplication, spastin, Kinesins/metabolism, Tubulin/metabolism, Spastin/metabolism, Nanotechnology, Microtubules/metabolism