Binding of Artificial Object to V orticella for a Microsystem Powered by a Microorganism

Miniaturization, integration, and functionality of microelectromechanical systems are limited in water. One solution to this problem is to apply the micrometer-scale motors from biological systems. A suitable biological motor is a linear motor found in microorganisms such as Vorticella. We developed a method to attach artificial material onto Vorticellas through streptavidin biotin binding. We biotinylated Vorticellas and coupled them to streptavidin coated particles of 1, 2, 6 and 8 mu m diameter. The binding force of streptavidin and biotin was strong enough to endure a high speed contraction of a Vorticella (several mm/s). This attachment process of artificial material is a crucial step to fabricate a microsystem powered by filaments of Vorticellas.