FEATURE ARTICLE
Biomolecules and Nanotechnology
Evolution has forced innovative solutions to biomolecular problems. Some may inform the growing field of nanotechnology
David Goodsell
Prospects
Biological molecules are examples of solved problems in nanotechnology?lessons from nature that may be used to inform our own design of nanoscale machines. The entire discipline of biotechnology has emerged to harvest this rich field of biological wealth. We routinely edit and rewrite the information in DNA to build custom proteins tailored for a given need. Today, for instance, bacteria are engineered to produce hormones, genes for disease resistance are added to agricultural plants, and cells are cultured into artificial tissues.
Principles of protein structure and function also yield insights for nanotechnological design and fabrication. The diversity of protein structure and function shows the power of modular, information-driven synthesis, as well as the limitations imposed by modular design once a dedicated modular plan is chosen. Proteins demonstrate that extended, complementary interfaces are essential prerequisites for molecular self-assembly. The prevalence of protein complexes proves that error-prone synthesis may be accommodated through the use of subunits and symmetry to build large objects accurately and economically. And contrary to our macroscopic experience, motion and flexibility may be assets, not liabilities.
The principles observed in the mobile, organic shapes of biological molecules may be applied to the controlled rectilinear forms of diamondoid lattices, fullerines or whatever nanoscale primitives are ultimately successful. We must not be too impatient, however. Nature has had some three or four billion years to perfect her machinery; so far, we have had only a few decades.
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