A Continuous Network of Lipid Nanotubes Fabricated from the Gliding Motility of Kinesin Powered Microtubule Filaments

Synthetic interconnected lipid nanotube networks were fabricated on the millimeter scale based on the simple, cooperative interaction between phospholipid vesicles and kinesin–microtubule (MT) transport systems. More specifically, taxol-stabilized MTs, in constant 2D motion via surface absorbed kinesin, extracted and extended lipid nanotube networks from large L_α phase multilamellar liposomes (5–25 μm). Based on the properties of the inverted motility geometry, the total size of these nanofluidic networks was limited by MT surface density, molecular motor energy source (ATP), and total amount and physical properties of lipid source material. Interactions between MTs and extended lipid nanotubes resulted in bifurcation of the nanotubes and ultimately the generation of highly branched networks of fluidically connected nanotubes. The network bifurcation was easily tuned by changing the density of microtubules on the surface to increase or decrease the frequency of branching. The ability of these networks to capture nanomaterials at the membrane surface with high fidelity was subsequently demonstrated using quantum dots as a model system. The diffusive transport of quantum dots was also characterized with respect to using these nanotube networks for mass transport applications