Biomechanics and Interrelations of Microtubules and Intracellular Trafficking: A Guide for Characterizing Carbon Nanotubes Cytotoxicity

碳纳米管是由碳原子组成的管状圆柱体，具有优异的机械、电学、热学、光学和化学性能。它们的多功能性允许在广泛的行业中使用它们，包括场发射，储能，超强织物，涂层和薄膜，以及具有成本效益的空气和水过滤。随着这些纳米材料应用的增加，碳纳米管的生物和环境暴露也在增加。然而，我们对碳纳米管如何影响细胞过程并对生物体构成生物学风险知之甚少。微管参与细胞的许多过程，包括细胞生长、分裂和细胞程序性死亡。它们是细胞“骨架”的主要组成部分之一。碳纳米管与微管在结构上有很大的相似之处。由于这些相似性，微管及其相关蛋白可能容易与被细胞吸收的碳纳米管相互作用，这有可能破坏其自然功能。我们的研究将着眼于微管及其相关蛋白，其功能取决于与微管的结合，以了解更多关于这些亚细胞系统的未知特征。我们还将探讨碳纳米管如何干扰这些生物系统的具体机制，并找到碳纳米管与化学结构的关系。有了这些信息，我们将能够从结构上或化学上修改碳纳米管，以减少它们干扰基本细胞过程的风险。我们可以将这些知识应用到基于碳纳米管的纳米材料的设计中，这些材料对生物体和生态系统更安全。该研究项目将为来自生物化学、细胞生物学、生物材料工程、毒理学和计算科学的国内外研究人员提供一个良好的平台，为新一代的年轻科学家提供丰富的培训环境和机会，他们将作为本科生或研究生在这个跨学科的研究项目中工作。他们将发展先进的专业技能，为他们在这个令人兴奋的新兴行业或学术界工作做好准备。

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are tubular cylinders of carbon atoms that have remarkable mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical and chemical properties. Their versatility allows using them in a wide range of industries including field emission, energy storage, super-strong fabrics, coating and filming, and cost-effective air and water filtration. With the increase in application of these nanomaterials, biological and environmental exposures to CNTs are also increased. However, we know very little about how CNTs can affect cellular processes and pose biological risks to living organisms. Microtubules are involved in many processes in a cell, including cell growth, division, and programmed cell death. They are one of the main components of the cell “skeleton”. CNTs have major structural similarities to microtubules. Due to these similarities, microtubules and their associated proteins may be prone to interacting with CNTs that are taken up by cells, and this has the potential to disrupt their natural function. Our research will look at microtubules and some of their associated proteins whose function depends on binding to microtubules, to learn more about yet unknown features of these subcellular systems. We will also explore the specific mechanism of how CNTs can disturb these biological systems and find the relationship to the chemical structure of CNTs. With this information, we will be able to modify CNTs, either structurally or chemically, to reduce the risk of them interfering with essential cellular processes. We can apply this knowledge in the design of CNT-based nanomaterials that are safer for living organisms and ecosystems.This research program will create a great platform for bringing together national and international researchers from biochemistry, cell biology, biomaterial engineering, toxicology and computing science providing a rich training environment and opportunities for a new generation of young scientists who will work as undergraduate or graduate students in this interdisciplinary research program. They will develop advanced and specialized skills that will prepare them well to work in this exciting emerging field in industry or academia.