Engineering Applications of Biomolecular Motors

Hess, Henry

doi:10.1146/annurev-bioeng-071910-124644

Cited by 128 publications

(121 citation statements)

References 128 publications

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“…These ideas are expected to provide further insight into one of nature's best nano-machines, and reveal vital clues to fabrication of artificial quantum molecular systems. 9.3 Agent-based modeling and simulation approach of photosynthetic biomolecular systems A scenario where biomolecules "think" and "act" like intelligent biological networks [156][157][158][159] may appear far fetched, however the presence of these attributes may be investigated using an agent-based modeling and simulation approach [160][161][162]. Tasks that require some self-learning may be formulated as the optimization of expected outcomes (such as the high conversion efficiencies) within the framework of quantum correlations that operate in some specific subspaces, otherwise considered as domains of agents.…”

Section: Far From Equilibrium Regime In Light Harvesting Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural light harvesting systems: unraveling the quantum puzzles

Thilagam

2014

J Math Chem

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In natural light harvesting systems, the sequential quantum events of photon absorption by specialized biological antenna complexes, charge separation, exciton formation and energy transfer to localized reaction centers culminates in the conversion of solar to chemical energy. A notable feature in these processes is the exceptionally high efficiencies (>95 %) at which excitation is transferred from the illuminated protein complex site to the reaction centers. The high speed of excitation propagation within a system of interwoven biomolecular network structures, is yet to be replicated in artificial light harvesting complexes. A clue to unraveling the quantum puzzles of nature may lie in the observations of long lived coherences lasting several picoseconds in the electronic spectra of photosynthetic complexes, which occurs even in noisy environmental baths. However the exact nature of the association between the high energy propagation rates and strength of quantum coherences remains largely unsolved. A number of experimental and theoretical studies have been devoted to unlocking the links between quantum processes and information protocols, in the hope of finding the answers to nature's puzzling mode of energy propagation. This review presents recent developments in quantum theories, and links information-theoretic aspects with photosynthetic light-harvesting processes in biomolecular systems. There is examination of various attempts to pinpoint the processes that underpin coherence features arising from the light harvesting activities of biomolecular systems, with particular emphasis on the effects that factors such non-Markovianity, zeno mechanisms, teleportation, quantum predictability and the role of multipartite states have on the quantum dynamics of biomolecular systems. A discussion of how quantum thermodynamical A. Thilagam (B) Information Technology, Engineering and Environment, principles and agent-based modeling and simulation approaches can improve our understanding of natural photosynthetic systems is included.

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Section: Far From Equilibrium Regime In Light Harvesting Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural light harvesting systems: unraveling the quantum puzzles

Thilagam

2014

J Math Chem

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“…31,47,55 They have also provided a blueprint for the design of engineered nanoscale transport systems 26,27,40 and inspired the general theoretical study of nanoscale molecular machines. 47 Our current understanding of how these molecular motors work has been advanced greatly by the use of single molecule technology such as optical tweezers, 58 which allowed for the quantitative characterization of the motor's behavior under the influence of external force.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elastic Coupling Effects in Cooperative Transport by a Pair of Molecular Motors

et al. 2012

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Abstract-Engineered constructs coupling a defined number of molecular motors provide an opportunity to study the cooperative transport of cargoes. Theoretical descriptions for the dynamics of such complexes can help to understand experimental data or to quantitatively formulate expectations for such experiments and provide a general framework for such analysis. Here, we review and extend recent theoretical studies that focused on pairs of molecular motors to study effects of coupling between the motors. We derive explicit results for two elastically coupled kinesin-1 motors as a function of the coupling strength using both linear and nonlinear springs. In addition, we discuss the general dynamics of such motor pairs, which is governed by characteristic time scales for the spontaneous unbinding of motors and for the built-up of strain forces that are sufficiently large to affect the run length and/or the velocity of the motors. We show how the comparison of these time scales can be used to predict the distinct behavior of different motor species, the effects of coupling, and the impact of the single motor velocity on the observable dynamics of a motor pair.

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“…When the conversion efficiency of chemical energy to kinetic energy in the swimming motion is estimated from the chemical energy required for DPA peptide assembly via intermolecular hydrophobic interaction between aromatic rings of DPA and the kinetic energy consumed as frictional loss of the moving peptide-MOF particle at the water surface, the energy conversion efficiency is calculated as 1.5% (details in Supporting Information), which is 2 to 7 orders of magnitude higher than other synthetic motor systems but an order of magnitude lower than highly optimized natural biological motors such as myosins and kinesins. [46][47][48] For the creation of basic environment around the target of PbSe QDs as illustrated in the step (ii) of Figure 1-(b), enzyme urease is applied because it can produce the basic environment as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 7 urea is incubated. To bind urease selectively to PbSe QDs, N-terminus of the Pb-binding peptide (DHHTQQHD) was conjugated at SH group of urease by a standard crosslinking agent (Thermo Scientific Inc., Sulfo-SMCC).…”

Section: Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peptide–Metal Organic Framework Swimmers that Direct the Motion toward Chemical Targets

et al. 2015

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Highly efficient and robust chemical motors are expected for the application in microbots that can selectively swim toward targets and accomplish their tasks in sensing, labeling, and delivering. However, one of major issues for such development is that current artificial swimmers have difficulty controlling their directional motion toward targets like bacterial chemotaxis. To program synthetic motors with sensing capability for the target-directed motion, we need to develop swimmers whose motions are sensitive to chemical gradients in environments. Here we create a new intelligent biochemical swimmer by integrating metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and peptides that can sense toxic heavy metals in solution and swim toward the targets. With the aid of Pb-binding enzymes, the peptide-MOF motor can directionally swim toward PbSe quantum dots (QD) by sensing pH gradient and eventually complete the motion as the swimmer reaches the highest gradient point at the target position in solution. This type of technology could be evolved to miniaturize chemical robotic systems that sense target chemicals and swim toward target locations.

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Engineering Applications of Biomolecular Motors

Cited by 128 publications

References 128 publications

Natural light harvesting systems: unraveling the quantum puzzles

Natural light harvesting systems: unraveling the quantum puzzles

Elastic Coupling Effects in Cooperative Transport by a Pair of Molecular Motors

Peptide–Metal Organic Framework Swimmers that Direct the Motion toward Chemical Targets

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