Highly efficient guiding of microtubule transport with imprinted CYTOP nanotracks

A very effective method developed to achieve highly efficient guiding of microtubules (MT) transported by kinesin motors that are immobilized within polymer nanotracks created by nanoimprint lithography (NIL) were discussed. A bacterially expressed kinesin motor, NKHK560cys, was used in the experiment for forming the polymer nanotracks to guide the motion of kinesin-propelled MTs. The nanotracks on glass substrates were fabricated through direct nanoimprinting of a cyclized perfluoropolymer called CYTOP. It was found that the CYTOP has a very low surface energy which facilitates the demolding process after NIL. NIL provides the capability of creating large-area nanoscale patterns with high yield, high throughput, and high reproducibility. MT motility assays were evaluated using fluorescent microscopy. The technique improved both the resolution and the contrast of motor-protein patterning as well as providing physical confinement for guided MT transport.