Fig. 1.

Approaches for functionalizing microtubules. Kinesin–microtubule transport can be integrated into hybrid nanodevices by two different strategies: cargo-carrying microtubules moved by immobilized motors (left column) and cargo-transporting motors moving along immobilized microtubules (right column, motor and cargo not shown). a Microtubules functionalized with biotin and/or fluorophores support transport and can be bound to surfaces through nonspecific electrostatic interactions. b Biotin–avidin can be used to link cargo or to immobilize microtubules to selected regions of a surface. c By linking with antibodies, specific protein targets can be transported, and tubulin antibodies can also be used as a microtubule immobilization strategy. d ssDNA can be used to reversibly link cargo to moving microtubules, or as strategy for reversibly linking microtubules to surfaces