Descrizione del progetto
Minuscoli robot che trasportano carichi molecolari
Le macchine molecolari sono tra le molecole funzionali più complesse e governano praticamente quasi ogni processo biologico. La manipolazione controllata di strutture a livello molecolare attraverso la robotica programmabile di piccole molecole potrebbe condurci verso l’alba di una nuova era di nanotecnologie molecolari utili. Il progetto ProgNanoRobot, finanziato dall’UE, intende costruire nanorobot artificiali in grado di trasportare un carico molecolare in modo programmabile. Il progetto studierà metodi per manipolare frammenti molecolari utilizzando un braccio robotico molecolare, troverà i migliori sistemi robotici programmabili di piccole molecole e svilupperà un set di strumenti di componenti per macchine robotiche. Questa nuova generazione di robotica molecolare potrebbe contribuire allo sviluppo di macchine di dimensioni molecolari in grado di manipolare substrati per controllare la costruzione di oligomeri sequenza-specifici e la produzione molecolare.
Obiettivo
Molecular machines are among the most complex of all functional molecules and lie at the heart of nearly every biological process. The controlled manipulation of molecular-level structures through programmable small-molecule robotics is a fabulous challenge that could lead us towards the dawn of an era of useful molecular nanotechnology.
“ProgNanoRobot” project aims to design, construct and investigate the operation of artificial molecular nanorobots capable of transporting a molecule cargo in a programmable fashion. We will develop key methodologies needed to manipulate molecular fragments using a molecular robotic arm operating through the formation and cleavage of dynamic covalent bonds, building on a rotary switch in which the rotor and stator can be positioned with respect to each other. We will explore different component types to find the best programmable small-molecule robotic systems and develop a toolbox of robotic machine components. We will use them as the basis for molecular machines that can transport molecular cargoes of biological relevance over long distances and to select between different cargoes and move them between multiple sites on molecular platforms in either direction. Moreover, we will employ a chemical fuel that induces pH oscillations in the reaction medium to allow the autonomous operation of these systems, a key development to reach the full potential of molecular machines, which will enable them to work as effective molecular assembly lines.
We envisage that the domain of this new generation of molecular robotics will be useful for the development of molecular-sized machines that can manipulate substrates to control sequence-specific oligomer construction and molecular manufacturing.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
M13 9PL Manchester
Regno Unito