Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2011 Aug;22(4):516-26. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2011.05.002. Epub 2011 Jun 1.
A better understanding of how confinement, crowding and reduced dimensionality modulate reactivity and reaction dynamics will aid in the rational and systematic discovery of functionality in complex biological systems. Artificial microfabricated and nanofabricated structures have helped elucidate the effects of nanoscale spatial confinement and segregation on biological behavior, particularly when integrated with microfluidics, through precise control in both space and time of diffusible signals and binding interactions. Examples of nanostructured interfaces for synthetic biology include the development of cell-like compartments for encapsulating biochemical reactions, nanostructured environments for fundamental studies of diffusion, molecular transport and biochemical reaction kinetics, and regulation of biomolecular interactions as functions of microfabricated and nanofabricated topological constraints.
更好地了解限制、拥挤和维度降低如何调节反应性和反应动力学，将有助于在复杂生物系统中合理和系统地发现功能。人工微制造和纳米制造结构通过在空间和时间上精确控制可扩散信号和结合相互作用，已经帮助阐明了纳米级空间限制和隔离对生物行为的影响，特别是与微流控技术结合使用时。用于合成生物学的纳米结构界面的例子包括开发用于封装生化反应的类细胞隔室、用于扩散、分子输运和生化反应动力学的基础研究的纳米结构环境，以及作为微制造和纳米制造拓扑约束的函数调节生物分子相互作用。
