Light-controlled protein channels may represent a new generation of nanotechnology tools. Theoretically speaking, building a nanometer device is not totally different from building other devices. Engineers first need to design the necessary components before deciding how to assemble them to achieve their intended function. However, one of the biggest difficulties in building nanodevices is that they must be effectively designed at this scale. Fortunately, evolution has successfully solved countless engineering challenges, and scientists have always found inspirational natural designs in the protein world. Researchers at the University of Winnipeg in the Netherlands and the BiOMaDe Technology Center demonstrate the power of this approach. Ben Feringa explains that MscL is a membrane protein on E. coli that belongs to the conduit that controls the movement of substances into and out of cells and reversibly turns on or off under the action of light, which is a safe system in the natural world valve. He said: "It prevents the bursting of cells, and if the pressure inside the cells is too high, the pores in the channel will open up to 3 nanometers and a lot of things will flow out. So it is a very good channel to automatically open Open, the ideal state can control its on and off. "Typically, MscL is always tight due to hydrophobic interactions. However, if there is a considerable load, MscL's hole will be forced to open until the load disappears. Feringa and colleagues designed a reversible optical switch that charges under the action of ultraviolet light and discharges it under the action of visible light. This switch attached to the special parts of MscL monomer, the modified protein is sent to the synthetic membrane. Experimental results show that ultraviolet light can induce the channel open until the visible light in the re-close. In the second round of experiments, the researchers injected modified MscL into the liposomes that contained a fluorescent dye. Experiments showed that light energy effectively regulates the fluorescent dye in liposomes, except for small amounts of leakage Release. This is just one of the first findings, and researchers are refining the method, hoping that it will work for controlled drug delivery. Feringa's ambitious goal, he foresees the great capabilities of these miniature devices and believes they can be a fundamental building block for precision nanodevices. "In nanotechnology, we seldom know how to integrate parts and how to assemble them and get them to work properly." "When the rationale is proven, the new challenge is to look at how the nano-valve and the part The nanofluidic channels combine to function as a valve. "
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