(96g) Biological Self-Assembly and Recognition Used to Synthesize and Guide Next Generation of Hybrid Bio-Nano-Materials

Free-standing, high aspect ratio sulfur-doped carbon nanodots-based hybrid nanowires with a microtubular aspect were synthesized using self-recognition and self-assembly processes of tubulin, a biological molecule precursor of cytoskeletal cellular and structural filaments. Physico-chemical characterizations (e.g., morphology, diameter, spectra absorbance etc.) of the user-synthesized hybrid bio-nanowires were performed using a variety of morphological (transmission and electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy) and spectroscopical (X-ray photoelectron and energy dispersive spectroscopy) techniques. Biofunctionality was demonstrated by mimicking cellular transport based on kinesin, a motor protein capable to recognize, bind onto and move such tubulin-based filaments, as well as through both protein circular dichroism and absorbance. Our results indicate that user-synthesized hybrid bio-nanowires could be manipulated in vitro under constant chemical energy of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and have the potential to be implemented in the next generation of synthetic applications. Specifically, our results demonstrate the ability to implement biological function (through the use of tubulin self- assembly and kinesin recognition and bipedal moving) to a non-biological material (sulfur-doped carbon nanodots) for creating the next generation of hybrids that could be manipulated and user-placed for synthetic applications from biosensing to electronic devices.