Molecular motor refers to a nano-system which is composed of biological macromolecules and uses chemical energy to do mechanical work. All biological activities, including muscle contraction, material transport, DNA replication, cell division, etc. All of them are traced back to the molecular level because of the promotion of protein macromolecules with sports function, so they are called molecular motors or protein motors.

Molecular motor is essentially an ATPase. For example, myosin in muscle will pull the thick myofilament to move to the middle plate, causing muscle contraction. The other two kinds of molecular motors, kinesin and kinesin, can carry molecular "goods", such as plasma membrane particles, even mitochondria and lysosomes, and slide in the orbit composed of microtubules to play a role in transportation.

Development prospect of molecular motor

Molecular motors controlled by humans can build nano-robots (also called molecular robots).

At present, humans can't make robots as small as nanometers, partly because they can't find enough kinetic energy devices. Because the molecular motor can convert biological energy into mechanical energy, once it is perfectly controlled by human beings, it can completely act as the engine of nano-robot.

Molecular motor can be regarded as the simplest nano-robot, like myosin molecular motor with two legs, which can make linear propulsion. In human body, its main function is to transport substances such as vesicles in cells. Theoretically, if you put it in a basket, it can also transport other things.

At present, scientists are still studying how to combine multiple molecular motors or connect them with other molecules to form a slightly "complex" machine. In the laboratory, scientists have made a propeller composed of 350 atoms, a 2.5-nanometer elevator and 3-nanometer scissors, which can be regarded as the prototype of nano-robot.

Nanorobots have a wide range of potential applications, especially in the medical field. For example, scientists at the University of Florida recently developed a nano-robot, which can kill hepatitis C virus 100%.

This nano-robot consists of two groups of substances: one is an enzyme that can attack and destroy RNA (involved in replicating hepatitis C-related proteins), and the other is an oligonucleotide that can recognize disease-related proteins and send the enzyme out to eliminate the harm.

In cell culture and mouse experiments, the effective rate of this new method reached nearly 100%, and there were no side effects, such as immune system reaction. This new achievement has promoted the development of medical nano-robot, and now it is gradually moving towards clinical application.

The above contents refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Molecular Motor.