Title :
Viral protein linear (VPL) nano-actuators
Author :
Dubey, A. ; Mavroidis, C. ; Thornton, A. ; Nikitczuk, K. ; Yarmush, M.L.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Mech. & Aerosp. Eng., Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ, USA
Abstract :
A new nanoscale biomolecular motor is introduced. The Viral Protein Linear (VPL) Motor. The motor is based on a conformational change observed in a family of viral envelope proteins when a virus attempts to infect a cell by the process of membrane fusion. By developing similar proteins in vitro and subjecting them to appropriate conditions, a similar conformational change can be observed and controlled. The conformational change produces a motion of about 10 nm, making the VPL a basic linear actuator which can be further interfaced with other organic/inorganic nanoscale components such as DNA actuators and carbon nanotubes.
Keywords :
actuators; biomembranes; biotechnology; molecular biophysics; nanotechnology; proteins; 10 mm; DNA actuators; carbon nanotubes; cell infection; conformational change; membrane fusion; nanoscale biomolecular motor; organic/inorganic nanoscale components; viral protein linear nanoactuators; Assembly; Biomembranes; Carbon nanotubes; Computational modeling; DNA; Hydraulic actuators; Maintenance; Micromotors; Nanobioscience; Protein engineering;
Conference_Titel :
Nanotechnology, 2003. IEEE-NANO 2003. 2003 Third IEEE Conference on
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7976-4
DOI :
10.1109/NANO.2003.1231735
