Nanobiology

It is well known in molecular biology that nature exploits nanoscale structure and mechanics for determining the properties and functions of biomolecules. These properties are significantly influenced by nanoscale molecular mechanics. Structure and mechanics plays an important role even in many biochemically important processes, for example oxygenation of hemoglobin in order to sustain life. The realization that many molecular phenomena are manifest in mechanical responses at the nanoscale offers unprecedented potential for developing sensors, machines, and other devices. Utilizing mechanics on the nanoscale is a paradigm shift in science and technology.

The realization that mechanical effects often follow physical phenomena that involve energy transfer raises a number of important questions. In fact such a realization adds one more dimension into our understanding of fundamental mechanisms found in nature. Nanoscale mechanical effects have been observed in chemical, physical, and biological interfacial interactions, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional self-assembly, and photonic interaction of molecules and surfaces. Nanoscale mechanics is certainly involved in molecular recognition. For example hemoglobin undergoes mechanical shape change as result of oxygenation. Nanomechanical motion is intrinsic in the catalytic function of enzymes as well as in the replication, transcription, and translation of nucleic acids. Can we control and manipulate these interactions to our advantage? Such manipulation and control can definitely lead us to designing devices and instrumentation that mimic nature. One day we may be able to manipulate and control the pathways responsible for life. However, this will require investigation of nanomechanical phenomena at a molecular level to discover fundamental patterns. Only such discovery can lend us the degree and precision required for manipulation and control of very basic phenomena in nature, and life itself.

Discovering the fundamental patterns in nanoscale mechanics is of great significance. Can we control the mechanical properties of biomolecules, other small molecules, and molecular motors? Molecular machines such as the bacterial flagellar motor are driven by proton motive force across the cell membrane. Measuring the rotation of the motor and proton flow require nanoscale devices yet to be developed. Is it possible to change the functional and structure properties of molecular machines by chemical, physical, biological (gene) manipulation so as to custom design devices?