Cells all require the transport of materials to maintain their function. In nerve cells, a tiny motor made of protein called KIF1A is responsible for that. Mutations in this protein can lead to neurological disorders, including difficulties in walking, intellectual impairment and nerve degradation. It’s known that mutations in KIF1A also result in weakened motor performance, but this has been difficult to measure so far.
DNA nanospring that measures cellular motor power could yield improved disease diagnosis
