Functional copolymers such as the proteins are called "mechanomers" here, distinguishing such naturally-occurring mechanomers as "biopolymers" where convenient; the science of mechanomers is called "mechanomerics"; and applied mechanomerics is called
Enzymes photosynthesizing fuels, organic chemical industrial feedstocks, and bulk macronutrients (fats, sugars and amino acids) from air, seawater and sunlight will be readily developed by mechanomeric selection (MeSe).
So, given a need for several hundred quadrillion nanomachines, would you rather let biomimicry loose to replicate the proteins or other mechanomers (functional copolymers) you need, or try to mass nano-manipulate (including -etch) your way to mineral
BIONANOTECHNOLOGY, the subject of this group, is the utilization of pseudobiological molecules and processes/procedures to achieve technological including nanotechnological goals.