Research News

DNA origami to scale-up molecular motors

Researchers have successfully used DNA origami to make smooth-muscle-like contractions in large networks of molecular motor systems, a discovery which could be applied in molecular robotics.

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Joint press release by Hokkaido University, Kansai University, and Tokyo Institute of Technology

 

Akira Kakugo of Hokkaido University, Akihiko Konagaya of Tokyo Institute of Technology and Akinori Kuzuya of Kansai University from the research team.

 

Original article:
Matsuda K. et al., Artificial Smooth Muscle Model Composed of Hierarchically Ordered Microtubule Asters Mediated by DNA Origami Nanostructures. Nano Letters, April 30, 2019.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b01201 

Funding information:
This study was supported by Future AI and Robot Technology Research and Development Project from New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan, and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Molecular Engine” (18H05423 and 19H05407), Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering) (17K19211), Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (15K12135), and Private University Research Branding Project (2016-2021) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan.

Contacts & details:
See the press release (Hokkaido University website)