e-Journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology
Online ISSN : 1348-0391
ISSN-L : 1348-0391
Conference -Nano-org. & Func.-
Nano-Gel Machine Reconstructed from Muscle Proteins
Kazuhiro ShikinakaAkira KakugoJian Ping GongYoshihito Osada
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Keywords: Actin, Myosin, Gel, Soft machine
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2005 Volume 3 Pages 51-54

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Abstract

There are two basic differences in the motion between a human-made machine and a biological motor. One is in their principles. The motion of a human-made machine, which is constructed from hard and dry materials such as metals, ceramics or plastics, is realized by the relative displacement of the macroscopic constitute parts of the machine. In contrast to this, the motion of a living organism, which consists of soft and wet protein and tissues, is caused by the molecular deformation that is integrated to a macroscopic level through its hierarchical structure [1−3]. The other is in their energy sources. The human-made machine is fueled by electrical or thermal energy with efficiency around 30%, but a biological motor is driven by direct conversion from the chemical energy with efficiency as high as 80-90% [4]. In order to create biomimetic motility systems, polymer gels have been employed using their reversible size and shape change, thereby realizing the motion by integrating the deformation on a molecular level. Along this line, several kinds of artificial soft machines have been constructed using synthetic polymer gels in the past years. Gelooper (gel-looper), gelf (gel golf), gel valves, chemical motor, etc., are examples [5−11]. However, the lack of hierarchical structures and energy sources inside the gel lead to a decreased response and restricts the further application of such actuators for practical use in human bodies. Here we report an ATP fueled soft gel machine reconstructed from muscle proteins of actin and myosin. Chemically cross-linked actin gel filaments, several decade times the length of native actin filaments (F-actin) move along a chemically cross-linked myosin fibrous gel (1 cm long and 50 μm in diameter) with a velocity as high as that of native F-actin, by coupling to ATP hydrolysis. The motility observed in muscle protein-gels suggests that one might reconstruct a soft machine fueled by chemical energy by using actin and myosin molecules as elementary elements. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2005.51]

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この記事はクリエイティブ・コモンズ [表示 4.0 国際]ライセンスの下に提供されています。
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