DNA origami could lead to nano 'transformers' for biomedical applications

VIDEO:Researchers at The Ohio State University are the first to prove that the same basic design principles that apply to typical full-size machine parts can also be applied to DNA... view more

Credit: Movie courtesy of The Ohio State University.

COLUMBUS, Ohio--If the new nano-machines built at The Ohio State University look familiar, it's because they were designed with full-size mechanical parts such as hinges and pistons in mind.

The project is the first to prove that the same basic design principles that apply to typical full-size machine parts can also be applied to DNA--and can produce complex, controllable components for future nano-robots.

In a paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Ohio State mechanical engineers describe how they used a combination of natural and synthetic DNA in a process called "DNA origami" to build machines that can perform tasks repeatedly.

"Nature has produced incredibly complex molecular machines at the nanoscale, and a major goal of bio-nanotechnology is to reproduce their function synthetically," said project leader Carlos Castro, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. "Where most research groups approach this problem from a biomimetic standpoint--mimicking the structure of a biological system--we decided to tap into the well-established field of macroscopic machine design for inspiration."

"In essence, we are using a bio-molecular system to mimic large-scale engineering systems to achieve the same goal of developing molecular machines," he said.

Ultimately, the technology could create complex nano-robots to deliver medicine inside the body or perform nanoscale biological measurements, among many other applications. Like the fictional "Transformers," a DNA origami machine could change shape for different tasks.

"I'm pretty excited by this idea," Castro said. "I do think we can ultimately build something like a Transformer system, though maybe not quite like in the movies. I think of it more as a nano-machine that can detect signals such as the binding of a biomolecule, process information based on those signals, and then respond accordingly--maybe by generating a force or changing shape."

The DNA origami method for making nano-structures has been widely used since 2006, and is now a standard procedure for many labs that are developing future drug delivery systems and electronics. It involves taking long strands of DNA and coaxing them to fold into different shapes, then securing certain parts together with "staples" made from shorter DNA strands. The resulting structure is stable enough to perform a basic task, such as carrying a small amount of medicine inside a container-like DNA structure and opening the container to release it.

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DNA origami could lead to nano 'transformers' for biomedical applications