Morphology controls and function emergence of self-organized biomolecular motor networks through controls of external environments

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02106
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 20020:Robotics and intelligent system-related
• Research Institution: Gifu University
• Principal Investigator: Nitta Takahiro 岐阜大学, 工学部, 准教授 (20402216)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 平塚 祐一 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 准教授 (10431818) ; 森島 圭祐 大阪大学, 工学研究科, 教授 (60359114)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 生体分子モーター / マイクロロボット / 自己組織化 / 機能発現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Inspired by the principle which biological organisms use proteins and protein assemblies to build up higher order structures, the purpose of this study is to establish a methodology of inducing network morphology having designated emerging functions via external controls. To this end, experimental and computational studies were performed on pattern formations of networks consisting of biomolecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments confined in microfabricated chambers. Mechanical properties of microtubules, which are main components of the networks, were studied. In addition, to utilize the networks for electronics, microtubules were conjugated with gold nanoparticles.

Free Research Field

知能機械

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は，生体分子モーターを用いることにより高機能のマイクロロボットの開発を目指すものであり，実験およびシミュレーションによりこの可能性を探った．本研究で発展させた手法や得られた知見は，今後の細胞骨格と生体分子モーターからなるネットワークをマイクロロボットに導入する際に有益であるとともに，マイクロロボットの高機能化に資するものであると考える．