“The Lawnmower,” a Molecular Engine
Researchers at Simon Fraser University and Lund University researchers “have created ‘The Lawnmower,’ the first synthetic motor modeled on those found in nature that propels itself by harnessing the energy it creates as it cuts through fields of proteins. It could transform our treatment of a range of diseases. . . . . The Lawnmower is a sphere covered in trypsin, an enzyme that helps the body break down proteins. Once it lands on a surface, the trypsin ‘blades’ bind to and cleave peptides, shorter-length proteins, converting them into energy. The lack of peptides left in The Lawnmower’s wake creates a free energy gradient, pushing it towards the uncleaved peptide ‘grass’. It continues to ‘mow’ as it goes, achieving average speeds of up to 80 nm/s, comparable to biological molecular motors. The researchers also found that by patterning the peptide grass on microfabricated tracks, The Lawnmower was capable of track-guided motion.” MORE
Image Credit: NewAtlas