Integrating DNA strand-displacement circuitry with DNA tile self-assembly

TLDR

DNA nanotechnology uses Watson–Crick base pairing to build precise self‑assembled structures and reaction networks, and both DNA tile self‑assembly and strand‑displacement circuits are mature frameworks whose integration could enable precise spatial and temporal organization of dynamic molecular structures. The study aims to systematically integrate DNA tile self‑assembly with DNA strand‑displacement circuits to provide programmable kinetic control of self‑assembly. This integration employs an upstream DNA catalyst network to activate precursor double‑crossover tiles, enabling triggered and catalytic isothermal self‑assembly of DNA nanotubes. The authors demonstrate that this approach produces DNA nanotubes longer than 10 μm from activated tiles.

Abstract

DNA nanotechnology has emerged as a reliable and programmable way of controlling matter at the nanoscale through the specificity of Watson–Crick base pairing, allowing both complex self-assembled structures with nanometer precision and complex reaction networks implementing digital and analog behaviors. Here we show how two well-developed frameworks, DNA tile self-assembly and DNA strand-displacement circuits, can be systematically integrated to provide programmable kinetic control of self-assembly. We demonstrate the triggered and catalytic isothermal self-assembly of DNA nanotubes over 10 μm long from precursor DNA double-crossover tiles activated by an upstream DNA catalyst network. Integrating more sophisticated control circuits and tile systems could enable precise spatial and temporal organization of dynamic molecular structures. DNA tile self-assembly and DNA strand displacement circuits are well-developed frameworks in DNA nanotechnology. Here, the two approaches are combined to give programmable kinetic control of DNA nanotube self-assembly.