Behaviors of Microtubules (MTs) Driven by Biological Motors (Dynein c) at Collisions Against Micro-Fabricated Tracks and MTs for Potential Nano-Bio-Machines

摘要

In vitro motility assays, where protein motors (attached to a surface) move protein filaments, have been used for investigating protein motors' functions. In recent decades, these assays are extended to explore potential applications of motor proteins as biological motors in nano-bio-machine development. Recent attempts include fabricating micrometer-scale tracks on the surface to confine and guide the flow of bio-filaments as a power transfer medium driven by the motor proteins. Understanding the interaction between bio-filaments and fabricated tracks as well as the mutual interaction between bio-filaments is of importance to the design of potential nano-bio-machines. In this study, we investigate the behaviors of a microtubule driven by axonemal dynein at the collision against another microtubule and micro-fabricated walls, respectively. Based on experimental observations, we propose a model to study possible mechanisms for the microtubule-microtubule and microtubule-wall interactions, which involve bumping force, bending moment and torque generation.