Shape control of filamentous motor proteins for bio-nano driving units

This paper describes a technique for controlling the shape of filamentous motor proteins for the bio-nano driving units in MEMS devices. In this experiment, we have used Actin, a protein to construct cytoskeleton. Actin monomers (G-actin) polymerize in high salt condition and form filaments (F-actin); the filaments move when they bind with the motor protein (Myosin) in ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) solution. Fascin, a putative bundling protein, tightly bundles several F-actins together to form tight bundles of actin [1]. When G-actin and the fascin solution was confined and polymerized in the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or parylene micro chambers, we found that the polymerized actin bundles followed the geometry of chambers, and then formed several shapes, such as circles, rods, triangles or squares. Since the bundled actins still have motility, we believe this technique is useful for forming a desired pattern of bio-molecular motors toward the actuation of MEMS/NEMS devices.