Man-made molecular machines: membrane bound

Nature's molecular machines are a constant source of inspiration to the chemist. Many of these molecular machines function within lipid membranes, allowing them to exploit potential gradients between spatially close, but chemically distinct environments to fuel their work cycle. Indeed, the rea...

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Published inChemical Society reviews Vol. 45; no. 22; pp. 6118 - 6129
Main Authors Watson, Matthew A, Cockroft, Scott L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 07.11.2016
Subjects
Channels
Chemists
Constants
Lipids
Membranes
Membranes, Artificial
Molecular machines
Molecular Structure
Motors
Nanostructures - chemistry
Nanotechnology
Switches
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Summary:Nature's molecular machines are a constant source of inspiration to the chemist. Many of these molecular machines function within lipid membranes, allowing them to exploit potential gradients between spatially close, but chemically distinct environments to fuel their work cycle. Indeed, the realisation of such principles in synthetic transmembrane systems remains a tantalising goal. This tutorial review opens by highlighting seminal examples of synthetic molecular machines. We illustrate the importance of surfaces for facilitating the extraction of work from molecular switches and motors. We chart the development of man-made transmembrane systems; from passive to machine-like stimuli-responsive channels, to fully autonomous transmembrane molecular machines. Finally, we highlight higher-order compartmentalised systems that exhibit emergent properties. We suggest that such higher-order architectures could serve as platforms for sophisticated devices that co-ordinate the activity of numerous transmembrane molecular machines. This tutorial review charts the development of man-made molecular machines; from solution-phase to transmembrane assemblies.
Bibliography:Matthew Watson obtained his Chemistry MSci degree at the University of Glasgow. In 2010 he joined the University of Edinburgh to undertake a PhD in bionanotechnology followed by a further period of postdoctoral research. During his time in the Cockroft group he has developed synthetic transmembrane molecular machines that operate far-from-equilibrium. He is interested in applying the principles of molecular machine operation to the construction of functional nanomaterials to address the challenges of our age.
Scott Cockroft is a senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. He conducted PhD and postdoctoral work under the supervision of Prof. Christopher Hunter FRS (Sheffield, UK) and Prof. M. Reza Ghadiri (The Scripps Research Institute, California), respectively. The Cockroft group are researching molecular recognition in synthetic model systems, while seeking to harness these principles in the construction of molecular machines built from synthetic and biological components. In his spare time Scott enjoys sitting on stone walls contemplating life, while proudly displaying the Yorkshire rose on his chest.
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ISSN:0306-0012
1460-4744
DOI:10.1039/c5cs00874c