An Impulsive Force Generator as a Micro size Transportable Device

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We have developed minimum micro-scale impulsive force generator (microcatapult) utilizing snap-through buckling of an elastic material. It is the first successful example to store the elastic energy and release it as kinematic energy by using a rotary motion of protein. The device consists of motor protein (F_1-ATPase) immobilized on a coverslip and actin bundle coated with microbeads as an elastic material. It has a closed loop structure of the actin bundle with the length of about 10μm. One end of the actin bundle is fixed with F_1-ATPase through a magnetic bead as an active rotary joint, and the other end of the actin bundle is fixed on the coverslip through a terminal microbead as a passive rotary joint. Using this device, elastic energy stored in the actin bundle mainly by bending deformation of it can be obtained as impulsive force utilizing snap-through buckling generated by the driving torque of F_1-ATPase with added ATP and an external magnetic field torque. As a result, this is the first success example to convert a rotary motion of protein into different motion mode (snap-through buckling). The acceleration generated by the proposed micro-catapult reached more than 120μm^2/S under a solution and dozens of repeated snap-through buckling could be obtained for one the assembled devices.