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SUMMARY:Synthetic structures and machines from DNA - Prof Andrew Turberfie
 ld of University of Oxford\, Department of Physics\, Clarendon Laboratory\
 , Parks Road\, Oxford OX1 3PU\,
DTSTART:20100120T160000Z
DTEND:20100120T170000Z
UID:TALK22853@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Leona Hope-Coles
DESCRIPTION:DNA is a wonderful material for nanoscale construction: its se
 lf-assembly can be programmed by making use of its information-carrying ca
 pability\, and its hybridization or hydrolysis can be used as to provide e
 nergy for molecular devices. I shall describe our recent work on self-asse
 mbled molecular structures and on molecular machinery\, including free-run
 ning bipedal molecular motors inspired by the motor protein kinesin. An au
 tonomous molecular motor that does not alter its track needs an external e
 nergy source: if it uses a chemical fuel\, it must be a catalyst that coup
 les chemical change to mechanical motion. We have demonstrated the mechani
 sm of a chemically fuelled motor that is designed to transport a load on a
  reusable track and to operate without intervention until it runs out of f
 uel. The motor is built from DNA\, and the free energy required for direct
 ional motion is obtained by catalyzing hybridization of a DNA fuel.\nIts t
 wo-footed structure is inspired by kinesin and myosin V\, protein motors w
 ith two feet (or ''heads'') that are driven along cytoskeletal filaments b
 y ATP hydrolysis. The DNA motor's feet are coordinated by means of competi
 tion where their binding sites on the track overlap: competition exposes d
 ifferent ends of the identical feet so that the left and right feet intera
 ct with the fuel at different rates. We show how the catalytic activities 
 of the two feet can be coordinated to create a Brownian ratchet that is in
  principle capable of directional and processive movement.\n
LOCATION:Pippard Lecture Theatre\, Cavendish Laboratory
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