2nd International ICST Conference on Bio-Inspired Models of Network, Information, and Computing Systems

Research Article

An Autonomous Molecular Transport System Using DNAs and Motor Proteins in Molecular Communication

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/ICST.BIONETICS2007.2427,
        author={S. Hiyama and Y. Moritani and T. Suda and T. Shima and K. Sutoh},
        title={An Autonomous Molecular Transport System Using DNAs and Motor Proteins in Molecular Communication},
        proceedings={2nd International ICST Conference on Bio-Inspired Models of Network, Information, and Computing Systems},
        proceedings_a={BIONETICS},
        year={2008},
        month={8},
        keywords={Autonomous operation  DNA  Molecular communication  Molecular transport system  Motor protein},
        doi={10.4108/ICST.BIONETICS2007.2427}
    }
    
  • S. Hiyama
    Y. Moritani
    T. Suda
    T. Shima
    K. Sutoh
    Year: 2008
    An Autonomous Molecular Transport System Using DNAs and Motor Proteins in Molecular Communication
    BIONETICS
    ICST
    DOI: 10.4108/ICST.BIONETICS2007.2427
S. Hiyama1,*, Y. Moritani1, T. Suda1,2,*, T. Shima3, K. Sutoh3,*
  • 1: Research Laboratories, NTT DoCoMo, Inc. 3-5 Hikarinooka, Kanagawa 239-8536, Japan +81-46-840-3811
  • 2: Information and Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3425, USA
  • 3: Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo 3-8-1 Komaba, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan +81-3-5454-6769
*Contact email: hiyama@nttdocomo.co.jp, suda@ics.uci.edu, sutoh@bio.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Abstract

This paper describes a molecular transport system in molecular communication that uses the machinery in living cells. The molecular transport system requires: 1) loading of the specified cargo molecules at a loading site (at a sender); 2) transport of the loaded cargoes to an unloading site (to a receiver); and 3) unloading of the transported cargoes at the unloading site, all without using external stimuli. Through the DNA strand exchange at a loading site and at an unloading site, and through motility of a biological motor system (kinesins and microtubules), the authors of this paper constructed a molecular transport system and demonstrated that kinesin-driven microtubules autonomously load, transport and unload cargoes to which a specified DNA strand is attached.