Programmable Ribosome
technologiclee
A ribosome is already 'programmed' by mRNA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jml8CFBWcDs
Can the ribosomes 'arm' be attached to an Atomic Force Microscope tip
in order to control it? This would bypass the mRNA and allow ribosomes
to be used as a programmable assembler.
An array of these devices could serve as a first generation of
'nanofactory'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqyZ9bFl_qg
Another approach could be to bind a carbon nanotube to the ribosome
'arm' and and use radio signals to control its motion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htpCovoRtn0
Jake
> Can the ribosomes 'arm' be attached to an Atomic Force Microscope
> tip in order to control it?
I don't see how. It depends on the interaction between mRNA and charged tRNAs. If you take away the mRNA how would you attract the proper tRNA? Also the ribosome already works with incredible speed and efficiency. It would be far more useful to work on better ways of producing the mRNA.
I always thought it would be great to attach a ribosome to some sort of nanotube hooked up to an AFM or some other device just to read what the ribosome was doing. It would be pretty slick to get realtime readouts of what mRNA was being translated in a cell.
-Jake
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Cathal Garvey
Perhaps a system similar to pyrosequencing, where the ribosome attaching an amino acid/releasing a free tRNA causes a detectable signal to be released?
Perhaps the tRNA polymerase could be fused to a protein complex such that a flourophore and inhibitor are conjugated to each tRNA, which will bind when it is "charged" and release when it donated its AA. That way the flourophore would give a visual signal in the time between use and recycling, which could help decode what's being made, at what speed the ribosomes are working, etc..
Easier yet, perhaps: use PNA-flourophore-flouroinhibitor conjugates that bind to the amino-binding site of the tRNA. When externally applied to any cell, they'd bind free tRNA while it lacked an amino acid. Once conceptually designed, they mightn't be expensive to order from a PNA company!
That'd be high impact research for DIYbio! :)
On Nov 10, 2009 4:33 PM, "Jake" <DIYbio.li...@o-bio.org> wrote:> Can the ribosomes 'arm' be attached to an Atomic Force Microscope > tip in order to control it? ...
I don't see how. It depends on the interaction between mRNA and charged tRNAs. If you take away the mRNA how would you attract the proper tRNA? Also the ribosome already works with incredible speed and efficiency. It would be far more useful to work on better ways of producing the mRNA.
I always thought it would be great to attach a ribosome to some sort of nanotube hooked up to an AFM or some other device just to read what the ribosome was doing. It would be pretty slick to get realtime readouts of what mRNA was being translated in a cell.
-Jake
_____________________________________________________
Posted from O-Bio.org/forums/ for all display features visit:
http://www.o-bio.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3028&p=15594#p15594
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