Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Molecular Robotics”
To all concerned
We are pleased to announce the December 2015 regular meeting of the Molecular Robotics Research Group as follows.
We apologize for the late notice. We look forward to your participation.
“Molecular Robotics Research Group” December 2015 Regular Meeting (Tohoku)
Supported by: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Creation of Molecular Robots with Sensing and Intelligence (Molecular Robotics)”
“Considering How Molecular Robotics Should Position Itself — A Landing Between Molecules and Mechanical Life”
Date & Time: Saturday, December 5, 2015, 13:30–17:00
Venue: Tohoku University Graduate School of Engineering (Aobayama), Mechanical Engineering Building No. 2, Room 214
Access:
• From Sendai Station West Exit bus terminal, Stop [9]:
Take bus “715 Miyagi University of Education”, “710 Miyagi University of Education / Aobadai”, or “713 Miyagi University of Education / Naritayama”,
get off at “Joho Kagaku Kenkyuka-mae (Information Sciences Institute)”. Walk 6 minutes to the “Kogakubu Chuo (Engineering Faculty Central)” stop.
Alternatively, take “719 via Engineering Faculty / Dobutsukoen Loop”, and get off at “Kogakubu Chuo (Engineering Faculty Central)”.
• Walk 5 minutes east from “Kogakubu Chuo (Engineering Faculty Central)”.
# Unfortunately, the subway line directly connected to Sendai Station is scheduled to start operation the next day, 12/6…
Note: As it is Saturday, the building entrance will be locked. We will assist you after 12:30 on the day. (If you plan to arrive at any other time, please contact Nomura in advance.)
Organizer: Shinichiro Nomura (Department of Bio-Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University)
Participation Fee: Free
After the meeting, we will hold a networking/discussion session (this is not free).
If you wish to participate, please email Nomura (shinichiro.nomura.b5[at]tohoku.ac.jp) by 12:00 on Tue, 12/1 with the following information:
“I will participate in the discussion session.”
Name:
Affiliation:
——— Program ———
“Considering How Molecular Robotics Should Position Itself — A Landing Between Molecules and Mechanical Life”
The purpose of this meeting is to explore: Where are the interesting and feasible “stages” and “purposes” for yet-unseen molecular robots, especially in living cells? In recent years, it has become known that biochemical reactions in living systems and inside cells behave mechanically (including stochastically), and research toward reconstructing their hierarchical structures has also progressed. In addition, the materials used for prototyping in the field of molecular robotics are mainly so-called biomolecules (and their derivatives), such as DNA, RNA, peptides, proteins, and lipids. As a place where future molecular robots may “make moves” by leveraging compatibility with such materials, this time we focus on the interface between molecules and biochemical reactions, and we have invited experts in artificial molecular systems and natural molecular systems that operate in living cells.
13:30–14:20 Special Lecture 1
Speaker: Prof. Takehiko Wada (Professor, Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University)
“Creation of Artificial Nucleic Acids Responsive to the Intracellular Environment and Construction of Supramolecular Photoasymmetric Reaction Systems Utilizing Biological Reaction Fields”
We focus on the diverse functions of biomolecules, especially proteins and nucleic acids, and on their flexible yet precise functional expression and control, and we are working to establish new methodologies that utilize these features and to develop functional materials. Conventional functional material development has aimed to build stable materials with high reproducibility whose structures and functions do not change under various conditions, and has emphasized predictable/calculable enthalpic terms, promoting design and research centered on molecules with the most stable structures. In contrast, biomaterials—particularly proteins and nucleic acids—can be seen as utilizing states that may be regarded as metastable rather than the most stable, and by using structural changes as triggers, they express functions such as precise and high recognition of target molecules while skillfully and flexibly achieving diverse functional control. In other words, to realize materials with superior functions and controllability while reducing environmental burden, a major paradigm shift from conventional material-development guidelines and methodologies may be necessary. From this viewpoint, I will introduce our group’s work on functional material development, especially (i) the creation of safe and reliable nucleic-acid therapeutics responsive to the intracellular environment, (ii) the construction of supramolecular asymmetric photoreaction systems utilizing chiral reaction fields of proteins, and (iii) development of a high-sensitivity, high-time-resolution circular dichroism (CD) measurement apparatus for elucidating mechanisms of functional expression.
14:20–14:30 Break
14:30–15:20 Special Lecture 2
Speaker: Prof. Toshihiko Ogura (Professor, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University)
“To Reinterpret and Reconstruct Life Phenomena”
If we regard the human genome as 3.2 billion base pairs, the amount of information written is about 800 megabytes—roughly equivalent to 12 MS Word files that I use. Allan Turing predicted that, for genes, it is easier to construct the cerebral cortex—which he regarded as an “unorganized machine”—than the respiratory center. Is the genomic information required to create a human being smaller than expected, and is genomic involvement truly thin in the construction of the complex and highly sophisticated cerebral cortex? How should we interpret these seemingly opposite findings and ways of thinking in order to understand life correctly? And can we reconstruct new forms of life based on new concepts? I do not claim to have a definitive answer, but I would like to share what I have come to think through developmental biology and mechanical interpretations of morphogenesis.
15:20–15:30 Break
15:30–16:00 General Talk 1
Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Nobuyuki Morimoto (Department of Materials System Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University)
“Controlling Multi-Stimuli Responsiveness of Self-Organized Multilayer Membrane Microspheres”
In recent years, we have been developing research focusing on poly[3-dimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl)ammonium propanesulfonate] (PDMAPS), a betaine polymer with both positive and negative charges on side chains of the monomer units. We synthesized a double-hydrophilic block copolymer composed of this polymer and polyethylene glycol (PEG), and found that it self-organizes into multilayer membrane microspheres in water, exhibiting UCST-type thermal responsiveness, with association–dissociation controllable by adding salt. We have also found fusion and large deformations induced by applying electric fields or flow fields. Furthermore, by tuning polymer composition, multilayer membrane microspheres come into contact with each other and undergo intermittent fusion and separation, and we are attempting to build a molecular (nucleic-acid oligomer) exchange system utilizing this property. In this talk, I will introduce our recent efforts mainly on these topics, including additional topics on stimuli responsiveness of self-organized polymers using LCST-type behavior.
16:00–16:30 General Talk 2
Speaker: Assistant Prof. Ibuki Kawamata (Department of Bio-Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University)
“Programming Cascades of DNA Reactions to Develop in Time and Space”
Individual molecules such as DNA and proteins may already appear to have sufficient functions, yet living systems acquire higher-order capabilities unimaginable from these components alone—similar to how computers are built by integrating and systematizing massive numbers of elements such as transistors and capacitors. In molecular robotics as well, it is necessary for information scientists and roboticists to integrate and systematize existing biomolecules and newly synthesized molecules with novel structures and functions. In this talk, I will introduce systems we are developing in our lab in which reactions are programmed using DNA molecules. Specifically, we will report molecular programs that control the temporal evolution of DNA concentrations, and spatial development of gels using DNA-driven gel–sol and sol–gel phase transitions. We would like to discuss how to evaluate such systems and methodologies for programming more complex molecular reactions.
16:30–16:45 Student Talk
Speaker: Yusuke Sato (D1, Department of Bio-Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University)
“Building an Artificial Molecular Amoeba by Implementing Molecular Motors and DNA Circuits in Giant Liposomes”
A molecular robot is a new concept referring to an extremely small robot constructed by combining molecular devices designed by humans. In recent years, artificial constructs that could be called prototypes of molecular robots—such as Lund’s molecular spider and Douglas’s molecular transport vessel—have been reported. However, the molecular robots reported in those studies were single-molecule types, and their motion was basically driven by thermal fluctuations. In this study, we aim to construct a molecular robot whose motion can be autonomously controlled (an amoeba-type molecular robot). Specifically, we plan to implement, inside giant liposomes (artificial cell membranes), molecular motors (microtubules/kinesin) to deform the liposome membrane, as well as DNA circuits to control interactions between the molecular motors and the liposome membrane, thereby realizing autonomous control of motion. As progress, we will report methods for encapsulating molecular motors inside liposomes and introducing DNA circuits onto the inner leaflet of the liposome membrane. Based on these results, we would like to discuss membrane deformation of liposomes driven by molecular motors.
16:45–17:00 Student Talk
Speaker: BIOMOD TeamSendai (Tohoku University)
“Construction of Homomultimers with a Controllable Number of Bonds Using DNA Origami”
Some protein polymers that perform biological functions control the number of binding units by forming ring-like assemblies. Inspired by this mechanism, we attempted to control the number of bonds in a linear direction using DNA origami. The DNA origami monomer we created consists of a tubular part and an axle part that can rotate inside it. The axle has a twisted structure, and its range of motion is restricted by the tube. Moreover, as binding proceeds, the phase difference between the top and bottom of the axle increases, and accordingly the movable range becomes smaller. Thus, when the movable range becomes smaller than the phase difference, further binding is suppressed. In other words, the axle acts as a vernier scale relative to the tube, controlling the number of bonds. By applying this method, we expect it will be possible to fabricate larger structures with defined sizes through the design of simple shapes.
18:00–20:30 Networking/discussion session (planned around Sendai Station)