Raiding nature's toolbox: Adapting microtubules and motor proteins for nanoscale materials assembly

Microtubules and motor proteins are critical tools that interact selectively and cooperatively in living organisms to organize nanomaterials and direct critical cellular functions ranging from nanocargo trafficking to chromosome separation during cell division. In the present work, we explore how these biological tools can be utilized for in vitro nanomaterials assembly. First, we describe the assembly of microtubules into artificial aster structures, inspired by natural structures such a centrosomes, that may serve as three-dimensional nanoscale templates or scaffolds. We also discuss how the selectivity of interactions between microtubules and motor proteins can be exploited to direct the formation of nanoscale interconnects. Finally we introduce a unique nanoscale assembly scheme in which selective and dynamic biochemical interactions among microtubules and motor proteins lead to the in vitro formation of unusual non-equilibrium architectures. The continued exploration of these biological tools holds great promise in furthering the development of nanomaterials assembly.