Biomod/2013/Komaba/Project

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Background of Project

There were many previous studies related to the spontaneous activity of Biomolecule about Kinesin, which is a class of motor proteins, and walking DNA robots.But genuine nano-scale DNA motors which rotate at the stable speed were not yet created.

We tried to create the DNA screw system to overcome these issues in the present study.

The rotation system is used to create the complex motion with any devices, such as drills, screws and clocks.Therefore we thought that the nano-scale rotation system enables us to extended the future of DNA engineering.

The DNA screw has many strong points.DNA screw is able to embed in any other DNA structures and to be assembled into more complex structure easily, because we can take engineering approaches to make DNA structures.And, the size of structure can be easily scaled. In addition, DNA is a stable material than protein and can be used in various environments (ex. Temperature, pH and salt-density).

Project Overview

The motor made in this project comprises three parts, including the cylinder as an axis, DNA Spiders as a source of power and the ring which actually rotate. At the first phase in the project, we design each parts and confirm their suitability for the motor by experiment. Then, in the second phase, we develop a method to combine each pasts and make up the motor.

If you need details of each experiment, please click ">>read more" link and jump to Design page.

Cylinder

The cylinder is put in the center of the motor as an axis supporting the rotation. The material DNA is formed into a cylindrical shape using DNA Origami technology. >>read more

DNA Walker

The sources of power in rotational motion is DNA Spiders. DNA Spider consists of three DNA Walker which moves on footing by taking strands after another with DNAzyme. As they orbit the cylinder, their rotational movement is transmitted to DNA Ring. >>read more

Rotary Ring

It is the DNA ring part that actually rotates. It has shape like the side surface of a disk, and is also composed with DNA Origami technology. >>read more

Motor

The motor is realized by assembling above thee parts: Cylinder, Spider, Ring. Unlike motors in electrical work, rotary parts of our motor is outer ones and the central cylinder are fixed. >>read more

Another Structure

The motor made in this project rotates by DNA spider and round footings. In this system, the cylinder become too long if motor make many revolutions. However, we have an idea which make it possible to make lasting rotation by using long straight footing and DNA spiders positioned circularly.

Vision for the future(Phase ∞)

DNA submarine

これをメインでお願いします。図は一番上に大きくしてください。これが僕らが目指すゴールですって感じで

DNA submarineとは、DNAの構造体が潜水艦のように移動し物質を輸送できる構造体である。DNAスクリューの作成がうまくいけば、DNAスクリューを用いた潜水艦と別のDNAでてきたセンサーを組み合わせることで、微生物が持つ走化性の機能を人工的にDNAだけで作ることができると考えている。

Gear Connecting

これも消去ね

DNA pore-forming

If this DNA screw is realized, it would be possible to make a hole on the surface of a vesicle like rotating a screw by connecting the ring to a vesicle with cholesterol.

DNA Clocks

DNAスパイダーの数を増やしてリングの回転速度を安定させることで、時計のように一定間隔の時間を計ることができると考えます(日本語変だから、なんかいいのあったら変えて＞＜)。これは電子コンピュータにおけるクロックの役割を果たすことができ、DNAコンピューティング技術の発展に貢献できるとかんがえます。