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Loading and unloading of molecular cargo by DNA‐conjugated microtubule
Author(s) -
Taira Shu,
Du YongZhong,
Hiratsuka Yuich,
Uyeda Taro Q.P.,
Yumoto Noboru,
Kodaka Masato
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.21618
Subject(s) - molecular motor , conjugated system , dna , kinesin , dna origami , nanotechnology , microtubule , biophysics , chemistry , a dna , dna nanotechnology , materials science , biology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , polymer , organic chemistry
We developed a novel method to load and unload molecular cargos to and from microtubules (MTs) that move on kinesin‐coated surfaces. Quantum dots (Qds) (molecular cargo) connected to 21‐mer DNA can be selectively loaded on DNA‐conjugated MTs through DNA hybridization. The average velocity of the Qd‐loaded MTs (0.43 ± 0.06 µm s −1 at 25°C) was comparable to that of control MTs. In addition, MTs conjugated with two types DNA sequences can achieve multiloading of Qds. To unload Qd molecular cargos from MTs, the DNA double helix connecting Qds to MTs were cleaved by an appropriate restriction enzyme. This biomolecular motors‐based transport system should enable us to construct nanometer‐scale devices such as nanobiosensor, nanofluidic system, or nanomachine. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 734–739. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.