The emergence of nanotechnology in materials science research has had a major impact in biotechnology. Nature provides novel materials and structures that can be redesigned and reassembled for engineering purposes. One system in particular is the intracellular transport system consisting of the kinesin motor protein and microtubule. For synthetic devices, either the bead geometry (kinesin motors walking along a microtubule coated surface) or the gliding geometry (microtubules gliding over a kinesin-coated surface) is used. Molecular shuttles, utilizing the gliding geometry, have the potential for use in hybrid nanodevices such as biosensors.

The kinesin-powered molecular shuttle has been extensively studied. Advances have been made in controlling activation of the kinesin motors, guiding movement of kinesin motors and cargo loading onto the molecular shuttles. In this dissertation the interest in molecular shuttle development is extended with a research focus on the microtubule filament. The microtubule is a central element in the molecular shuttle. The sensing capabilities and limitations of molecular shuttles are tied to the microtubules. It would be desired to have nanodevices with molecular shuttles of predictable size, speed and lifetime.

Three materials properties of the microtubules are examined. First, the microtubule length distribution is measured and compared to the length distribution of synthetic polymers. Post polymerization processing techniques, shearing and annealing, are utilized to try to reduce the polydispersity index of the microtubule length distribution. Second, the effect of kinesin activity on the lifetime of the microtubules is observed and quantified. Degradation of microtubules is monitored as a function of kinesin activity and time. Lastly, the effect of cargo loading on microtubule gliding speed is measured to gain insight on the mechanism of cargo attachment. These property behaviors will play a role in the final development of nanodevices involving microtubules. It will also help in designing and optimizing microtubules for other synthetic uses.