Guiding motor-propelled molecules with nanoscale precision through silanized bi-channelstructures

Abstract

We report on the design and fabrication of a channel structure for high precisionguidance and achieving excellent confinement properties for motor-propelledmolecular shuttles. The techniques used to manufacture the channel structureare mainly e-beam lithography and selective monolayer functionalization.The structure consists of two lateral layers of concentric channels on aSiO2 surface made biocompatible with the molecular motors. The quality and advantagesof the design are demonstrated by experiments using the motor proteins actinand myosin. The special channel geometry leads to stable biochemical conditionswith full motor protein functionality. ATP is sufficiently supplied to all parts ofthe structure by dedicated service channels, as is the venting of ADP andPi (inorganic phosphorus). Channels of different widths (100–700 nm) and shapes arefabricated and measurements made on them.