Microtubules are very important biological polymers that support the structure and function of cells. They are about 25 nm in diameter and often grow to many microns in length. However, microtubule length is rarely constant. During growth a chemical reaction takes place that releases energy. This energy is stored within the microtubule and contributes to the sudden change to a disassembling state. Little is known about the energy storage and possible energy transport along microtubules. The very regular structure of the microtubule together with the fact that the small segments of microtubules have an electric dipole moment suggest that energy transport through dipole-dipole interactions is possible.
We aim to investigate the possibility of energy transfer by chemically attaching artificial atoms (colloidal quantum dots) to bundles of microtubules. Using light, dipoles can be induced inside the artificial atoms, thus providing a way to initiate and read-out energy transport. Evidence of this type of energy transport could have a major impact on the understanding of cell dynamics.
