Carrying Target Molecules on Beads by Bio Molecular Motors

A motor protein system, kinesin/microtubule, transported target molecules specifically attached on bead surfaces. The target molecule, biotin-4-fluorescein, was specifically immobilized on streptavidin-coated beads, on which kinesin molecules were also attached. The target molecules were successfully transported along microtubules immobilized on a glass surface. The activity of kinesin was not disturbed by co-existing target molecules. The result has significant implication to sort out any target molecule selectively from a sample solution by a nano-scale transport system driven by the kinesin/microtubule system.