Carbon nanotube - actin hybrid assemblies

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have unique electrical and chemical properties that make them viable candidates for diverse applications ranging from biology and medicine, to electronics and identification. Also, CNTs can be integrated with biomolecules and used as scaffolds for biosensors. However, these biosensors generally have lower detection capabilities due to their limited flexibility and placement in specific locations. In this paper we investigate the immobilization of actin cytoskeletal protein onto CNTs. Actin is a eukaryotic globular protein that serves as scaffold for molecular motors involved in cell motility. Our results indicate that actin monomers attach to CNTs. Moreover, the attached protein is still functional and able to polymerize into actin filaments. Further integration of CNT-actin filament assemblies with molecular motors hold promise for developing “mobile” biosensors to be used for selective placement, sensing and detection.