NIRT: Bio-Nano-Robotic Systems Using Viral Protein Nano Motors

该项目将研究基于蛋白质的纳米马达和纳米机器人的发展。目标是开发新颖的、革命性的生物分子机器组件，这些组件可以组装并形成多自由度的纳米设备，这些纳米设备将能够在纳米世界中施加力和操纵物体，将信息从纳米世界传递到宏观世界，并能够在纳米环境中移动。这些机器被期望是高效率、大批量生产时经济、工作时不受监督和可控的。我们的愿景是，这种超微型机器人系统和纳米机械装置将成为未来制造业、生物医学和行星应用的生物分子机电硬件。一些蛋白质，由于其结构特征和物理化学性质，构成了这一作用的潜在候选者。该项目的具体目标是：(1)鉴定可以用作纳米/微机器和机构马达的蛋白质。研究的重点将放在病毒蛋白的机械特性上，根据环境的pH值打开或关闭。因此，获得了一种新型的，强大的，线性的生物分子驱动器类型，病毒蛋白线性（VPL）马达。将研究各种病毒蛋白，并从中生产不同的VPL马达。(2)建立动态模型和逼真的仿真/动画，以准确预测所提出的VPL电机的性能。(3)进行一系列的生物分子实验，以证明所提出的VPL电机概念的有效性。(4)研究所提出的蛋白质马达与其他生物分子组件（如DNA关节和碳纳米管刚性连接）的界面，从而形成由VPL马达驱动的复杂的多自由度机器和机器人。这个项目的教育、更广泛的影响和推广活动是：(1)开发一门关于纳米机器设计的新的跨部门课程；(2)本科生科研的发起；(3)与新泽西州科技高中建立纳米技术合作项目，吸引该领域的新生；(4)组织生物纳米机器人专题讨论会和期刊特刊；(5)开发和维护生物纳米机器人系统网页；(6)在纳米技术领域开展国际合作活动。

This project will study the development of protein-based nano-motors and nano-robots. The goal is to develop novel and revolutionary biomolecular machine components that can be assembled and form multi-degree of freedom nanodevices that will be able to apply forces and manipulate objects in the nanoworld, transfer information from the nano to the macro world and also be able to travel in the nanoenvironment. These machines are expected to be highly efficient, economical in mass production, work under little supervision and be controllable. The vision is that such ultra-miniature robotic systems and nano-mechanical devices will be the biomolecular electro-mechanical hardware of future manufacturing, biomedical and planetary applications. Some proteins, due to their structural characteristics and physicochemical properties constitute potential candidates for this role. The specific aims of this project are: (1) To identify proteins that can be used as motors in nano/micro machines and mechanisms. The focus of the study will be on the mechanical properties of viral proteins to open or close depending on the pH level of environment. Thus, a new, powerful, linear biomolecular actuator type is obtained,Viral Protein Linear (VPL) motor. Various viral proteins will be studied and from them different VPL motors will be produced. (2) To develop dynamic models and realistic simulations/animations to accurately predict the performance of the proposed VPL motors. (3) To perform a series of biomolecular experiments to demonstrate the validity of the proposed concept of VPL motors. (4) To study the interface of the proposed protein motors with other biomolecular components such as DNA joints and carbon-nanotube rigid links so that complex, multi-degree of freedom machines and robots powered by the VPL motors are formed.The educational, broader impact and outreach activities of this project are: (1) The development of a new, inter-departmental course on the design of nano-machines; (2) The initiation of undergraduate students in research; (3) The establishment of collaborative projects on nano-technology with the science and technology high schools of New Jersey with the objective to attract new students in this field; (4) The organization of symposia and journal special issues on bio-nano-robotics; (5) The development and maintenance of a webpage on bio-nano-robotic systems; and (6) The establishment of international collaborative activities in the area of nano-technology.