Physical chemists at Emory University have devised the construction of a rolling DNA-based motor that outcompetes current nano-walkers in speed and efficiency. This creation is revolutionary in the world of DNA motors because it has a round shape that allows it better utility rather than the traditional construction with multiple legs which allows the nano-walkers to imitate the motion of walking. It would take these traditional walkers with 4 legs 20 years to travel the length of a centimeter. Those with 2 legs can move faster but they are highly unstable. Scientists ultimately want to mimic the action of myosin--converting chemical energy to mechanical energy, which transports nutrients all over the body. The rolling DNA-based motor is constructed of a micron-sized glass sphere where hundreds of DNA legs/strands can attach. When placed in a reactant (RNA), the legs attach to it and destroy it, allowing the "rolling" motion so that it can come in contact with more reactant. This innovative technique allows the DNA motor to travel 1 cm in only 7 days, at a rate only 10 times slower than myosin.
This discovery is extremely important to field of biology and genetics. The new and improved DNA motor can detect DNA mutations by particle displacement. It is a relatively simple procedure that hopefully in the upcoming years, can be more widespread as its efficiency trumps all nano-walkers to date. Scientists can control DNA motors to do their bidding as they play a critical role in transporting nanoparticles. Manipulating this could do a lot for the field of disease diagnostics. I think that this a valuable study because scientists are trying to mimic nature as nature is what works best. Instead of going against nature or finding some way to work around it, scientists are looking at the unique role of myosin and how they can employ their own DNA motor to do something similar.
Original article
DNA Motors
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