Masaya Nishiura

Pause and rotation of F 1 -ATPase during catalysis

F1-ATPase is a rotary motor enzyme in which a single ATP molecule drives a 120° rotation of the central γ subunit relative to the surrounding α3β3 ring. Here, we show that the rotation of F1-ATPase spontaneously lapses into long (≈30 s) pauses during steady-state catalysis. The effects of ADP-Mg and mutation on the pauses, as well as kinetic comparison with bulk-phase catalysis, strongly indicate that the paused enzyme corresponds to the inactive state of F1-ATPase previously known as the ADP-Mg inhibited form in which F1-ATPase fails to release ADP-Mg from catalytic sites. The pausing position of the γ subunit deviates from the ATP-waiting position and is most likely the recently found intermediate 90° position.

ATP hydrolysis cycle–dependent tail motions in cytoplasmic dynein

The motor protein dynein is predicted to move the tail domain, a slender rod-like structure, relative to the catalytic head domain to carry out its power stroke. Here, we investigated ATP hydrolysis cycle–dependent conformational dynamics of dynein using fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis of the dynein motor domain labeled with two fluorescent proteins. We show that dynein adopts at least two conformational states (states I and II), and the tail undergoes ATP-induced motions relative to the head domain during transitions between the two states. Our measurements also suggest that in the course of the ATP hydrolysis cycle of dynein, the tail motion from state I to state II takes place in the ATP-bound state, whereas the motion from state II to state I occurs in the ADP-bound state. The latter tail motion may correspond to the predicted power stroke of dynein.

Hybrid nanotransport system by biomolecular linear motors

We have demonstrated a novel micro/nanotransport system using biomolecular motors driven by adenosine triphosphate (ATP). For the driving mechanism, microtubule-kinesin system, which is one of the linear biomolecular motor systems was investigated. ATP dissolved in an aqueous condition is hydrolyzed to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to energize the bionanoactuators in this mechanism. This means the system does not require an external electrical or mechanical energy source. Therefore, a purely chemical system which is similar to the in vivo transport will be realized. This paper reports some fundamental studies to integrate biomaterials and MEMS. The microtubules, or rail molecules, were patterned on a glass substrate with poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) using a regular soft lithography technique. Microbeads (320 nm in diameter) and a micromachined structure (2/spl times/3 /spl mu/m, 2 /spl mu/m in thickness) coated with kinesin molecules were transported along the microtubules at an average speed of 476/spl plusmn/56 and 308 nm/s, respectively. While ATP injection activated the transport system we have also managed to provide repetitive on/off control using hexokinase as an inhibitor. For the minimum response time in the repetitive control, the optimized concentration for ATP was 10/sup 2/ /spl mu/M and 10/sup 3/ U/L for hexokinase.

On/off control of biomolecular motors in a microfluidic device

We have successfully realized an on/off control of biomolecular linear motors in a polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) chamber sealed with a cover glass. A linear biomolecular motor system, microtubule-kinesin system, is controlled by injecting the optimized concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for the activation and hexokinase for the stoppage. Not only control from on to off or off to on, the repetitive injection of ATP and hexokinase proves that kinesin molecules can move and stop alternatively once they bind to microtubules.