Growing collection of literature on floppy machinery doing hierarchical assembly of rigid macro structures
One rebuttal from the nanomechanics community is the fact that we’re not doing diamondoid nanosystems that are these super stiff materials that can transmit force with unparalleled efficiency.
To that we say: one doesn’t necessarily need super stiffness as a pre requisite for nanomanufacturing. One CAN build things with relatively “floppy” tools. Life does!
Below is a growing collection of literature on floppy machinery doing hierarchical assembly of rigid macro structures.
Example one: Proteins assembling Biominerals (shells/bones/teeth)
Key Insight: Floppy elements can be scaffolds for crystal growth
Teeth/shells/bones, etc. Biomeralisation regulated by protein scaffolds: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/401208930_Regulation_of_Biomineralization_via_Protein_Assembling_Scaffolds
Shell matrix proteins (SMPs): Ensemble of secreted macromolecules that regulate calcium carbonate nucleation, growth and assembly of shell microstructures https://www.nature.com/nature-index/topics/l4/biomineralization-mechanisms-in-molluscan-shells
Example two: Proteins assembling cellular tissue (cells, skin, leaves, bark)
Key Insight: cellular vehicles containing nanomachines can aggregate into macro structures made up of cellular composite tissues
- tree bark, skin, bones and hair are indirectly formed by: 1) hydrophilic driven self assembly of lipids into membrane coatings + 2) Protein aggregation and compartmentalising inside of cells + 3) cell aggregation and differentiation in a local area. See skeletogenesis, organogenesis and general tissue formation processes.