Nanofabricated Devices Based on Molecular Motors: Biosensing, Computation and Detection
Författare
Summary, in English
The thesis describes the use of molecular motors in nanofabricated devices designed for potential applications in biosensing, computation and detection. We utilize the well-established guiding principles for controlling the motion of actin filaments propelled by myosin molecular motors, and build upon these developments in order to improve upon previously demonstrated techniques, and establish new methods that, we believe, offer significant progress in these fields.
One application area, in which use actin filaments and myosin motors, is in biosensing. Here we show that with the use of actomyosin, we can achieve fast concentration, due to the high speed of actin filaments, in a highly miniaturized molecular concentration device. This fast concentration, and small device footprint, will allow for rapid read-out and higher signal-to-noise ratios, of significance for the development of this field.
We also demonstrate the use of 1D semiconductor nanowires, coated with an aluminum oxide shell, as light-guides for biosensing. Because of their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, these nanowires are capable of detecting many molecular probes over their total surface area. Each nanowire acts as an individual detector, with a high signal-to-noise ratio. These nanowires may be used for future detection of a variety of molecular probes rapidly and with high sensitivity.
We also use actin filaments propelled by myosin motors, to solve a small-scale instance of a mathematical problem encoded in a 2D network of nanoscale channels, as a method of biocomputation. Due to their small size, high speed, low energy cost, and self-propelled motion, we show that molecular motors offer a significant improvement over alternative methods proposed for computing.
Here, localized fluorescence interference contrast detectors were proposed as useful components in biocomputation, as a way to achieve more automated readout of large numbers of motile objects, a requirement for scaling in our biocomputation device. We also demonstrate the use of hollow nanowires to achieve transport of actin filaments by myosin motors within the 1D structures, for use in our biocomputation device. These hollow nanowires may also prove useful in the fundamental study of actin and myosin interactions.
One application area, in which use actin filaments and myosin motors, is in biosensing. Here we show that with the use of actomyosin, we can achieve fast concentration, due to the high speed of actin filaments, in a highly miniaturized molecular concentration device. This fast concentration, and small device footprint, will allow for rapid read-out and higher signal-to-noise ratios, of significance for the development of this field.
We also demonstrate the use of 1D semiconductor nanowires, coated with an aluminum oxide shell, as light-guides for biosensing. Because of their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, these nanowires are capable of detecting many molecular probes over their total surface area. Each nanowire acts as an individual detector, with a high signal-to-noise ratio. These nanowires may be used for future detection of a variety of molecular probes rapidly and with high sensitivity.
We also use actin filaments propelled by myosin motors, to solve a small-scale instance of a mathematical problem encoded in a 2D network of nanoscale channels, as a method of biocomputation. Due to their small size, high speed, low energy cost, and self-propelled motion, we show that molecular motors offer a significant improvement over alternative methods proposed for computing.
Here, localized fluorescence interference contrast detectors were proposed as useful components in biocomputation, as a way to achieve more automated readout of large numbers of motile objects, a requirement for scaling in our biocomputation device. We also demonstrate the use of hollow nanowires to achieve transport of actin filaments by myosin motors within the 1D structures, for use in our biocomputation device. These hollow nanowires may also prove useful in the fundamental study of actin and myosin interactions.
Publiceringsår
2014
Språk
Engelska
Fulltext
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Dokumenttyp
Doktorsavhandling
Ämne
- Condensed Matter Physics
Nyckelord
- biocomputing
- actin
- hollow nanowires
- molecular concentration
- molecular motors
- nano-biosensor
- myosin
- nano-fabrication
- nanowires
- Fysicumarkivet A:2014:Lard
Status
Published
Forskningsgrupp
- Nanometer structure consortium (nmC)
Handledare
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISBN: 978-91-7623-066-4
- ISBN: 978-91-7623-067-1
Försvarsdatum
12 september 2014
Försvarstid
13:15
Försvarsplats
Lecture hall Rydbergsalen, Department of Physics, Sölvegatan 14, Lund University Faculty of Engineering
Opponent
- Henry Hess