tailieunhanh - Protein Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology involves research and development on materials and species at length scales between 1 and 100 nm. The term nano is derived from the Greek word meaning “dwarf.” In dimensional scaling, nano refers to 10–9, ., one billionth of a unit. Thus, a nanometer is 10–9 m ( m), or about the size of a molecule such as benzene. Nanotechnology therefore, refers to the techniques and methods for studying, designing, and fabricating things at the nanometer scale. The initial concept of investigating materials and biological systems at the nanoscale dates to more than 40 yr ago, when Richard Feynman presented a lecture in 1959 at the annual meeting. | METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 300 Protein Nanotechnology Protocols Instrumentation 1 Protein Nanotechnology The New Frontier in Biosciences Tuan Vo-Dinh Summary The combination of nanotechnology and molecular biology has led to a new generation of nanoscale-based devices and methods for probing the cell machinery and elucidating intimate life processes occurring at the molecular level that were heretofore invisible to human inquiry. This chapter provides a brief overview of the field of nanotechnology and its applications to the study design and use of protein systems in biology and medicine. Key Words Nanotechnology protein nanosensor nanoprobe DNA RNA molecular motor. 1. Introduction An Historical Perspective on Nanotechnology Nanotechnology involves research and development on materials and species at length scales between 1 and 100 nm. The term nano is derived from the Greek word meaning dwarf. In dimensional scaling nano refers to 10-9 . one billionth of a unit. Thus a nanometer is 10-9 m m or about the size of a molecule such as benzene. Nanotechnology therefore refers to the techniques and methods for studying designing and fabricating things at the nanometer scale. The initial concept of investigating materials and biological systems at the nanoscale dates to more than 40 yr ago when Richard Feynman presented a lecture in 1959 at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society at the California Institute of Technology. This lecture entitled There s Plenty of Room at the Bottom 1 is generally considered to be the first look into the world of materials species and structures at nanoscale levels. Nanostructures are similar in size to many biological species such as proteins. These species comprise a wide variety of basic structures such as From Methods in Molecular Biology vol. 300 Protein Nanotechnology Protocols Instrumentation and Applications Edited by T. Vo-Dinh Humana Press Inc. Totowa NJ 1 2 Vo-Dinh polymers carbohydrates sugars and .