Molecular assembler finally created
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Molecular assembler synthesized by Prof. Leigh of the University of Manchester and his group
The following figures and their captions describe the mechanism of operation of the artificial molecular machine – here we start with the initial building blocks: a molecular ring, a polymer backbone with attached amino acids (green = phenylalanine, violet = leucine, red = valine), a stopper group, and a copper ion
The copper ion is attached to the inside of the ring, from which point it attracts the blue end of the polymer backbone and the blue end of the stopper group, bringing them into proximity
The polymer backbone and the stopper group bind together so that the molecular ring is trapped to move only along the polymer backbone (this type of structure is called a rotaxane) – the copper ion is freed in this step
The assembly arm (yellow arm) is attached to the molecular ring, rendering the molecular assembler ready for operation
Now the process of protein synthesis begins – eventually, through the random thermal motions of the assembly arm, the phenylalanine molecule becomes bonded to the arm, and at the same time breaks free of the polymer backbone
Here the assembly arm has moved the phenylalanine molecule back to a position on the molecular ring where it can bond to the end of a growing protein chain – the arm is initially made with a three-member protein chain (not shown), so that the arm is sufficiently flexible to make the necessary motions for operation
Next, the molecular ring at some point moves into the vicinity of the second attachment site, and attains the necessary configuration to react with and pluck the leucine molecule from the second attachment site – the leucine molecule is then added to the end of the protein chain
The same process is then carried out for the third amino acid, the valine molecule
Once the valine molecule is plucked from the polymer backbone, the molecular ring is free to slide off and float, together with the desired protein – a simple chemical reaction then frees the protein from the assembler arm and the ring
A rendering of Prof. Leigh's molecular assembler
Article Summary
Ribosomes are the main engines of creation of the proteins on which the body depends. Now, an artificial analog of the biological ribosome has been designed and synthesized by Professor David Leigh FRS and his team in the School of Chemistry at the University of Manchester.
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