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。其目标是开发新颖和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纳米设备，这些设备将能够施加力并操纵纳米世界中的物体，将信息从纳米世界传输到宏观世界，还能够在纳米环境中旅行。这些机器预计将是高效、经济的大规模生产，工作在很少的监督下，并且是可控的。我们的愿景是，这种超微型机器人系统和纳米机械设备将成为未来制造、生物医学和行星应用的生物分子机电硬件。一些蛋白质，由于它们的结构特征和物理化学性质，是这一角色的潜在候选者。该项目的具体目标是：(1)鉴定可用作纳米/微机械和机械机构马达的蛋白质。这项研究的重点将放在病毒蛋白的机械特性上，即根据环境的pH水平打开或关闭。因此，获得了一种新型的、强大的、线性的生物分子致动器类型--病毒蛋白线性马达(VPL)。将研究各种病毒蛋白，并从中产生不同的VPL马达。(2)开发动态模型和逼真的模拟/动画，以准确预测拟议的VPL电机的性能。(3)进行了一系列生物分子实验，以验证提出的VPL电机概念的有效性。(4)研究建议的蛋白质马达与其他生物分子组件，例如DNA关节和碳纳米管刚性连接的界面，以形成由VPL马达驱动的复杂、多自由度的机器和机器人。这项计划的教育、更广泛的影响和推广活动是：(1)开发一门新的、跨部门的纳米机器设计课程；(2)启动本科生的研究；(3)与新泽西州的科技高中建立纳米技术合作项目，目的是吸引这一领域的新学生；(4)组织关于生物纳米机器人的专题讨论会和期刊特刊；(5)开发和维护关于生物纳米机器人系统的网页；(6)在纳米技术领域建立国际合作活动。

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.