Sprecher
Beschreibung
Molecular motors are biological machines that convert chemical energy into mechanical work. Constructing synthetic molecular machinery is essential for understanding their natural counterparts and advancing the development of artificial biological systems. Although significant progress has been made in the realm of synthetic motors, the development of a chemically fueled, rotational motor remains elusive. Here, we conceptualize two synthetic rotational molecular motors powered by the principles of the molecular Brownian ratchet. The first proposed motor uses the enzyme adenylate kinase to induce conformational changes in the DNA origami-based rotor structure1, modulating the internal potential energy landscape leading to unidirectional motion. The second motor functions via a replenishing burnt bridge Brownian ratchet, inspired in part by the motility of influenza viruses on cell surfaces. In this system, a DNA origami rotor forms transient tethers via a chemical fuel with substrates on the wall of the stator. These tethers (bridges) are subsequently enzymatically cleaved (burnt), creating a directional bias for unvisited substrate, resulting in continuous rotational motion. These two chemically fuelled molecular motors provide a foundation for future synthetic nano-machinery, expanding the possibilities for autonomous nanoscale motion and controlled energy transduction.
