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Science Forum Index » Nanotechnology Forum » nano-enzymes
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| sam kayley |
 Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2003 9:02 am |
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The principles of biological enzymes seem to be fairly well understood
(suitable shape and charge to bind to transition state, acid/base reactions,
etc), except for the protein folding problem. Although the robot arms may be
more versatile and look nice in diagrams, 'enzyme pockets' made of
diamondoid (mostly rigid, perhaps in some cases with simple hinge
mechanisms) with suitable reactive groups attached, modelled on biological
enzymes may be easier to design and build and be more efficient for many
reactions/reaction pathways (not to mention be taken more seriously by
chemists).
I am thinking of something like a set of grooves containing 'enzyme pockets'
on the outside of a nanoassembler in a water solution, with some ports at
various points on the surface to transport molecules in and out of the
controlled vacuum environment inside the assembler, or, to reduce
contamination between different areas, internal tanks with the enzyme
pockets and ports.
Comments?
Disclaimer: I am not a chemist
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| Chris Phoenix |
| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2003 7:20 pm |
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I think the "enzyme pockets" you describe are very similar to the
diamondoid binding pockets described e.g. in Nanosystems. Such things
could be made quite small (depending on the molecule they were meant to
bind).
The point of a robot arm is not to grasp a molecule--note that serious
illustrations of nanoscale robot arms do not have any kind of gripper.
The point of a robot arm is to move whatever is at its end--perhaps a
diamondoid binding pocket with a molecule attached--from one place to
another, optionally causing a covalent reaction at one end of its
trajectory as firmly-bound molecules are pushed together precisely.
So I think you're right on track, and very consistent with the type of
machinery proposed by Drexler. Use diamondoid binding sites and/or
activated covalent "tool tips" to handle the chemicals. Use simple
mechanisms to move bound molecules through the wall or shell of the
assembler. Use robot arms (and/or conveyor belts, etc) to move bound
chemicals from place to place within the assembler and make them react.
Chris
sam kayley wrote:
Quote:
The principles of biological enzymes seem to be fairly well understood
(suitable shape and charge to bind to transition state, acid/base reactions,
etc), except for the protein folding problem. Although the robot arms may be
more versatile and look nice in diagrams, 'enzyme pockets' made of
diamondoid (mostly rigid, perhaps in some cases with simple hinge
mechanisms) with suitable reactive groups attached, modelled on biological
enzymes may be easier to design and build and be more efficient for many
reactions/reaction pathways (not to mention be taken more seriously by
chemists).
I am thinking of something like a set of grooves containing 'enzyme pockets'
on the outside of a nanoassembler in a water solution, with some ports at
various points on the surface to transport molecules in and out of the
controlled vacuum environment inside the assembler, or, to reduce
contamination between different areas, internal tanks with the enzyme
pockets and ports.
Comments?
Disclaimer: I am not a chemist
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Chris Phoenix cphoenix@CRNano.org
Director of Research
Center for Responsible Nanotechnology http://CRNano.org |
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