Biological nanosystems: working principle of the molecular mouse trap and future prospects for spring action and/or clockwork machinery
✍ Scribed by Atsushi Ikai
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1994
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 297 KB
- Volume
- 1
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0928-4931
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Most, if not all the molecular machineries of a living system act on a statistical principle and this can be seen in alpha-2-macroglobulin, also known as the molecular mouse trap. The living state of the organisms is supported by diffusional interactions among multicomponent supramolecular assemblies such as alpha-2-macroglobulin. To understand the dynamical properties of these systems and derive guiding principles for the construction of artificial nanosystems beneficial to mankind, we have to study their operational principles. This is accomplished by studying single molecule-system dynamics, the most likely principle to be accomplished by the new types of scanning probe microscopy. The present paper discusses the working principle of alpha-2-macroglobulin which operates on a statistical principle rather than a spring action mechanism. This paper also emphasizes the necessity for measuring the single system dynamics to understand the moleclar mechanisms of this system. The possibility of designing and constructing spring action mechanisms and/or clockwork mechanisms in a single molecular system is also discussed.