In nature, a number of organisms and organelles are capable of self-propulsion at the micro- and nano-scale. In an attempt to produce a simple mimic for actin polymerisation-powered motion, an enzyme is investigated for biocatalytic self-propulsion by supramolecular self-assembly of 'fuel' molecules, into fibre structures. Chemical energy is ultimately converted to mechanical energy where the chemical 'fuel' investigated is a self-assembling dipeptide derivative. Motion of the enzyme is investigated using fluorescence microscopy by covalent attachment to fluorescing quantum dots. Single particle tracking analysis shows that with the addition of the enzyme-quantum dot conjugates, to a solution containing 'fuel' molecules of dipeptide substrate, the enzyme-conjugates exhibit average instantaneous speeds greater than controls; without fuel and also a non-self-assembling fuel.

Self-assembly-driven enzyme motion using dipeptide derivative "fuel" molecules

247th National Meeting (2014)

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