Integrating Bioengineered F1 Motors into Nano-Structured Surfaces

Abstract

Abstract : The project is focused on the remarkable F1 rotary motor protein that couples the hydrolysis of ATP to unidirectional rotation of a centrally located protein element (spindle). The main object is to fabricate a platform nano-device that couples rotation of the spindle element to drive a secondary device such as a propeller or a switch to produce a desired response. The F1 motor must be in a fixed location and orientation on a solid surface to interface with the secondary device. In this study the secondary device is a nano-electrode in which electrical current is produced as a magnetic particle affixed to the rotating spindle rotates across it. Protein engineering introduced a special armature within the rotating spindle element of the enzyme extending the diameter of rotation of attached objects beyond the periphery of the motor protein. Atomic force microscopy and nanografting methods were used to etch nano-electrodes into material surfaces for enzyme attachment, and specialized surface attachment methods developed to attach F1 motors to defined regions on chemically modified solid surfaces in correct orientations. Current studies aim at integrating the engineered F1 motors into the etched nano-electrodes to demonstrate interconversion of electrical and chemical (ATP) energy.