PBIO SEMINAR SERIES

Molecular Motors at work: From Cellular Function to Bionanotechnology

Wednesday - April 12, 2006
05-06 SEMINAR SERIES

Dr. Stefan Diez
Group Leader Bionanotechnology and Optical Technology Development Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Speaker's website

Host: Chip Asbury

Inside cells, motor proteins perform a variety of complex tasks such as the transport of vesicles and the separation of chromosomes. While the phenomenological outcome of such motor action is extensively described, its underlying biophysical principles have often not been fully understood yet. We use high-resolution single molecule fluorescence microscopy in conjunction with nanotechnological tools to explore the characteristics of various microtubule based motor proteins, such as conventional kinesin and the mitotic centromere-associated kinesin (MCAK).
Beyond the biological functioning of motor proteins, we are interested in novel applications of these molecular machines as transporters and manipulators for a wide range of nanoobjects in an engineered, cell-free environment. This idea is intriguing because biomolecular motors can work in parallel, their size is in the nanometer range, they work with a high energy efficiency and their application is potentially cheap. Among other examples, we will report on the use of purified kinesin motors in combination with chemically modified microtubules to transport and stretch single lambda-phage DNA molecules across a surface. This technique, in contrast to existing ones, enables the parallel yet individual manipulation of many molecules and may offer an efficient mechanism for the generation of multidimensional, DNA-based nanocircuits. In pursuit of gaining external control over such motor-driven nanotransport systems the applicability of external fields and smart polymer surfaces will be discussed.