Fabrication of artificial muscles from biomolecular motors and DNA origami nanostructures

该项目旨在通过生物分子马达(微管、动蛋白)和DNA折纸纳米结构的融合来制造人造肌肉。人工肌肉的构建包括两个阶段：全球微管网络的动态收缩和随后收缩的网络的松弛。利用微管、六股螺旋束DNA折纸纳米结构和四聚体Kinesin连接物，成功地实现了全球微管网络的动态收缩。此外，通过将与微管相互作用的运动蛋白马达的数量从4个减少到3个，我们还能够显著减缓全球微管网络的收缩动力学。然而，收缩的微管网络的松弛仍然是一个挑战。使用可光切割的连接物DNA在一定程度上促进了收缩的微管网络的松弛。在未来，需要进一步的尝试来加速这一放松过程，使其能够重复收缩和放松，类似于活体中的肌肉。

This project was aimed at fabricating artificial muscles through fusion of biomolecular motors (microtubules, kinesin) and DNA origami nanostructures. The construction of artificial muscles consists of two phases: dynamic contraction of a global microtubule network and subsequent relaxation of the contracted network. The dynamic contraction of a global microtubule network has been achieved successfully by using microtubules, six helix bundle DNA origami nanostructures, and tetrameric kinesin linkers. Moreover, by reducing the number of kinesin motors interacting with microtubules from four to three, we are also able to slow down the kinetics of contraction of the global microtubule network significantly. However, relaxation of the contracted microtubule network has still remained a challenge. Use of a photocleavable linker DNA has facilitated relaxation of the contracted microtubule network to some extent. In future, further attempts are required to accelerate this relaxation process with an ability to repeatedly contract and relax similar to that of muscles in living organisms.