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Science 12 May 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5775, pp. 910 - 914
DOI: 10.1126/science.1124258
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Reports

Molecular Sorting by Electrical Steering of Microtubules in Kinesin-Coated Channels

Martin G. L. van den Heuvel, Martijn P. de Graaff, Cees Dekker*

Integration of biomolecular motors in nanoengineered structures raises the intriguing possibility of manipulating materials on nanometer scales. We have managed to integrate kinesin motor proteins in closed submicron channels and to realize active electrical control of the direction of individual kinesin-propelled microtubule filaments at Y junctions. Using this technique, we demonstrate molecular sorting of differently labeled microtubules. We attribute the steering of microtubules to electric field–induced bending of the leading tip. From measurements of the orientation-dependent electrophoretic motion of individual, freely suspended microtubules, we estimate the net applied force on the tip to be in the picoNewton range and we infer an effective charge of 12 e– per tubulin dimer under physiological conditions.

Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Section Molecular Biophysics, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, Netherlands.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dekker{at}mb.tn.tudelft.nl

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Microtubule curvatures under perpendicular electric forces reveal a low persistence length.
M. G. L. Van den Heuvel, M. P. de Graaff, and C. Dekker (2008)
PNAS 105, 7941-7946
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nanomechanical Model of Microtubule Translocation in the Presence of Electric Fields.
T. Kim, M.-T. Kao, E. F. Hasselbrink, and E. Meyhofer (2008)
Biophys. J. 94, 3880-3892
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Motor Proteins at Work for Nanotechnology.
M. G. L. van den Heuvel and C. Dekker (2007)
Science 317, 333-336
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Electrophoresis of individual microtubules in microchannels.
M. G. L. van den Heuvel, M. P. de Graaff, S. G. Lemay, and C. Dekker (2007)
PNAS 104, 7770-7775
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A driving and coupling "Pac-Man" mechanism for chromosome poleward translocation in anaphase A.
J. Liu and J. N. Onuchic (2006)
PNAS 103, 18432-18437
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)