A bistable and reconfigurable molecular system with encodable bonds

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Chunyang Zhou, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Donglei Yang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Sebastian Sensale, Duke University; Pranav Sharma, Duke University; Dongfang Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology; Lei Yu, Georgia Institute of Technology; Gaurav Arya, Duke University; Yonggang Ke, Emory University; Pengfei Wang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-11-16
• Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ade3003
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: SCIENCE ADVANCES
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 46
• Start Page: eade3003
• End Page: eade3003
• Grant/Funding Information: P.W. thanks the support from National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFA0910100 and 2018YFA0902601) and from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52061135109 and 21974086). Y.K. and G.A. thank the support from the Department of Energy (grant no. DE-SC0020996).
• Keywords: NANOROBOT; DNA; SHAPES; Multidisciplinary Sciences; SYMMETRY; Science & Technology; JUNCTION; DESIGN; ARRAYS; Science & Technology - Other Topics
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical

Abstract

Molecular systems with ability to controllably transform between different conformations play pivotal roles in regulating biochemical functions. Here, we report the design of a bistable DNA origami four-way junction (DOJ) molecular system that adopts two distinct stable conformations with controllable reconfigurability by using conformation-controlled base stacking. Exquisite control over DOJ’s conformation and transformation is realized by programming the stacking bonds (quasi–blunt-ends) within the junction to induce prescribed coaxial stacking of neighboring junction arms. A specific DOJ conformation may be achieved by encoding the stacking bonds with binary stacking sequences based on thermodynamic calculations. Dynamic transformations of DOJ between various conformations are achieved by using specific environmental and molecular stimulations to reprogram the stacking codes. This work provides a useful platform for constructing self-assembled DNA nanostructures and nanomachines and insights for future design of artificial molecular systems with increasing complexity and reconfigurability.