Biomod/2013/Fukuoka

表のタイトル

Introduction	Results and Disscution	Approaches	Member	Sponsor	YouTube

Abstract

• Recent years, the technology of DNA origami is attracting keen interest for the synthesis of various nanostructures.　But there are only few example of DNA origami with a rotating part, which are found in nature or industries: flagellum movement of Eugelena, turbines, and motors. Another problem is that the creation of the macroscopic-scale device only with DNA origami, which works with the macroscopic output or input signals is difficult because the synthesis of DNA-origami in large amount costs a lot. Here, we fabricate the device which detects the flow of surrounding water by combining inorganic nanoporous substrate with nanoscale weathercock made of DNA origami. The DNA weathercock consist of a blade and shaft parts are attached with a fluorescence molecule. We mount the DNA weathercock into the nanopore of the inorganic nanoporous substrate of size-tunable anodizing alumina, so that the DNA weathercock can freely rotate. When we give a flow, the DNA weathercock turns to the direction of the flow. We observe the behavior of fluorescence molecule with a fluorescence microscope or even by our eye through a polarizers set on the device.

Introduction

Background

• There are many important objects which have rotating parts in nature, industries, and in our life. For example, we find rotation of the earth, flagellum movement of Euglena, turbine for power generations, motors of cars and locomotives, etc. Again, rotation is an important movement in many ways.(Figure 1)
• If we could fabricate a rotating machinery in nanoscale, it will provide valuable applications such as nanorobotics. This may be achieved by using DNA nanotechnology (Figure 2). Recently, the DNA origami is attracting attentions. DNA-origami is the programmable nanostructure which is synthesized by weaving a very long single strand DNA with a large number of short single strand DNAs, just like the weft of the textile.

Problems and Motivations

• Only a very few examples of a DNA-origami system with a rotational motion or even with a movable part have been reported so far. (Figure 3)It is also a problem that the creation of the macroscopic-scale device only with DNA origami, which works with the macroscopic output or input signal such as a mechanical one, is difficult due to high cost. (Figure 4)

examples of a DNA-origami system

Our Approach and Goals

• As the start point to solve the problems, we here design the simplest nano-device that rotates: the weathercock. We fabricate the rotating weathercock to detect water flow by combining inorganic nanoporous substrate with the nanoscale weathercock made by DNA origami. (Figure 5)
• We synthesize the DNA-origami-based “DNA weathercock” consist of the blade part which sense the water flow (instead of the wind in air) and the shaft part. (Figure 6) The shaft is mounted into the vertical nanopores of "anodizing alumina" which is synthesized by electrode reaction of an aluminiuma metal plate. (Figure 7) The size of the nanopore is tuned by changing the synthetic condition of the nanoporous alumina in the range of 20 nm - microns. We can further optimize the interaction between the DNA shaft and alumina surface by chemical modification of the alumina surface.
• When the DNA weathercock catches the flow in the fluid, it turns to the direction of the flow. Since the head of the weathercock is attached with a fluorescence molecule, the flow direction is detected by the observation by confocal laser microsope or even by our naked-eyes through a polarizing film. (Figure 8)
• The criteria for the success of this project is as follows:
  • The synthesis and characterization of the nanoporous substrate
  • The design, synthesis and characterization of DNA weathercock
  • Mounting the DNA weathercock to the porous substrate
  • Observation of the rotation of the weathercock induced by flow

Results and Disscution

• Fig.1 shows the AFM image of the synthesized DNA-weathercock. We observe many small objects, while we also find some aggregated large objects. On the enlarged AFM image (Fig.2), the object with the shape similar to the DNA origami designed with caDNAno (Fig.3) was observed. The Fig.4 is the cross-sectional view for the green line on Fig.2. While the size of the designed object has the length of 28 nm, width of 20 nm and the height 17 nm, the observed image is mostly in the same size.

• 

  fig.1 AFM image of the synthesized DNA-weathercock

• 

  fig.2 the enlarged AFM image

• 

  fig.3 designed with caDNAno

• 

  fig.4 cross-sectional view for the green line on Fig.2

Member

Students

• Maika Kuroki

• Shinya Anraku

• Ryo Iwashita

Adviser

• Naoya Yamaguchi

Professor

• Hajime Mita

• Nobuyoshi Miyamoto

Sponsor

JPK Instruments AG （JPKインスツルメンツ）

• http://japan.jpk.com/index.2.ja.html

株式会社 レベルファイブ

• http://www.level-five.jp/

株式会社　生体分子計測研究所 (RIBM)

• http://www.ribm.co.jp/

株式会社 和泉テック

• http://www.izumi-tech.com/index.html

YouTube

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