Shaping up nucleic acid computation

A gold nanoparticle conjugated single-legged DNA walker driven by catalytic hairpin assembly biosensor to detect a prokaryotic pathogen

Catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA)-DNA walker allows nanostructures to spontaneously hybridize to the nucleic acids. The localized surface plasmon resonance provides the ability of color-shift for Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) to design a colorimetric biosensor by implementing CHA-DNA walker reaction on AuNPs. A target gene in Klebsiella pneumoniae as the reaction cascade trigger, was selected. H1 and H2 oligonucleotides as the components of the system were designed and verified by NUPACK. The AuNPs were conjugated to H1. The conjugation of the probes to the AuNPs was evaluated using FT-IR. The signal amplification process was conducted at 25℃. TEM imaging, zeta potential, spectroscopy, and gel-electrophoresis were used to examine the conduction of the reaction cascade and specificity. The sensitivity of the method was analyzed using serial dilution of the target. The formation of over-52 bp intermediate secondary structures (which only exist when the reaction happens) was confirmed by gel-electrophoresis. The color distinction between positive (0.08 to 0.058) and negative samples (0.098 to 0.05) was evidenced instantly and in a period of 90 min of the reaction as a drop change of 520 nm intensity absorbance. TEM imaging confirmed the further distance of AuNPs in the positive sample in comparison to that of the negative sample which reveals effective detection of the pathogen. The LOD of the technique was measured as 2.5 nM of the target sequence. The diagnostic approach is a label-free, enzyme-independent approach and can be executed in a single step. It has been designed by employing the CHA-DNA walker system along with the colorimetric properties of AuNPs for the first time, thereby paving the way for more rapid and accurate diagnostic kits.

Understanding the relationship between sequences and kinetics of DNA strand displacements

Precisely modulating the kinetics of toehold-mediated DNA strand displacements (TMSD) is essential for its application in DNA nanotechnology. The sequence in the toehold region significantly influences the kinetics of TMSD. However, due to the large sample space resulting from various arrangements of base sequences and the resulted complex secondary structures, such a correlation is not intuitive. Herein, machine learning was employed to reveal the relationship between the kinetics of TMSD and the toehold sequence as well as the correlated secondary structure of invader strands. Key factors that influence the rate constant of TMSD were identified, such as the number of free hydrogen bonding sites in the invader, the number of free bases in the toehold, and the number of hydrogen bonds in intermediates. Moreover, a predictive model was constructed, which successfully achieved semi-quantitative prediction of rate constants of TMSD even with subtle distinctions in toehold sequence.

DNA-based programmable gate arrays for general-purpose DNA computing

The past decades have witnessed the evolution of electronic and photonic integrated circuits, from application specific to programmable1,2. Although liquid-phase DNA circuitry holds the potential for massive parallelism in the encoding and execution of algorithms3,4, the development of general-purpose DNA integrated circuits (DICs) has yet to be explored. Here we demonstrate a DIC system by integration of multilayer DNA-based programmable gate arrays (DPGAs). We find that the use of generic single-stranded oligonucleotides as a uniform transmission signal can reliably integrate large-scale DICs with minimal leakage and high fidelity for general-purpose computing. Reconfiguration of a single DPGA with 24 addressable dual-rail gates can be programmed with wiring instructions to implement over 100 billion distinct circuits. Furthermore, to control the intrinsically random collision of molecules, we designed DNA origami registers to provide the directionality for asynchronous execution of cascaded DPGAs. We exemplify this by a quadratic equation-solving DIC assembled with three layers of cascade DPGAs comprising 30 logic gates with around 500 DNA strands. We further show that integration of a DPGA with an analog-to-digital converter can classify disease-related microRNAs. The ability to integrate large-scale DPGA networks without apparent signal attenuation marks a key step towards general-purpose DNA computing.

Engineering DNA walkers for bioanalysis: A review

Considerable advances have been made in the design, modularization, functionalization, and regulation of DNA nanostructures over the past 40 years. These advances have accelerated the development of DNA nanomachines such as DNA walkers, dynamic nanomachines with walking feet, tracks, and driven forces, which have highly sensitive detection and signal amplification abilities that can be applied to various bioanalytical contexts and therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe a rational design of the nano-bio interface, the kinetics of DNA walkers and the strategies for improving their efficiency and sensitivity. We also outline the various bioanalytic and imaging applications to which DNA walkers have been applied, such as electrochemical and optical measurements, when integrated with other simulation and activation tools. Finally, we compare the performances of novel DNA walker-based strategies for bioanalysis and propose a method to improve DNA walker design.

Flap Endonuclease 1-Assisted DNA Walkers for Sensitively and Specifically Sensing ctDNAs

DNA walkers have shown superior performance in biosensing due to their programmability to design molecular walking behaviors with specific responses to different biological targets. However, it is still challenging to make DNA walkers capable of distinguishing DNA targets with single-base differences, so that DNA walkers that can be used for circulating tumor DNA sensing are rarely reported. Herein, a flap endonuclease 1 (FEN 1)-assisted DNA walker has been proposed to achieve mutant biosensing. The target DNA is captured on a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) as a walking strand to walk by hybridizing to the track strands on the surface of the AuNP. FEN 1 is employed to report the walking events by cleaving the track strands that must form a three-base overlapping structure recognized by FEN 1 after hybridizing with the captured target DNA. Owing to the high specificity of FEN 1 for structure recognition, the one-base mutant DNA target can be discriminated from wild-type DNA. By constructing a sensitivity-enhanced DNA walker system, as low as 1 fM DNA targets and 0.1% mutation abundance can be sensed, and the theoretical detection limits for detecting the DNA target and mutation abundance achieve 0.22 fM and 0.01%, respectively. The results of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) L858R mutation detection on cell-free DNA samples from 15 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer were completely consistent with that of next-generation sequencing, indicating that our DNA walker has potential for liquid biopsy.

Encoding scheme for data storage and retrieval on DNA computers

There has been exponential growth in the amount of data being generated on a daily basis. Such a huge amount of data creates a need for efficient data storage techniques. Due to the limitations of existing storage media, new storage solutions have always been of interest. There have been recent developments in order to efficiently use synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for information storage. DNA storage has attracted researchers because of its extremely high data storage density, about 1 exabyte/mm3 and long life under easily achievable conditions. This work presents an encoding scheme for DNA-based data storage system with controllable redundancy and reliability, the authors have also talked about the feasibility of the proposed method. The authors have also analysed the proposed algorithm for time and space complexity. The proposed encoding scheme tries to minimise the bases per letter ratio while controlling the redundancy. They have experimented with three different types of data with a value of redundancy as 0.75. In the randomised simulation setup, it was observed that the proposed algorithm was able to correctly retrieve the stored data in our experiments about 94% of the time. In the situation, where redundancy was increased to 1, the authors were able to retrieve all the information correctly in the proposed experiments.

Enhanced biosensing strategies using electrogenerated chemiluminescence: recent progress and future prospects

An overview of enhancement strategies for highly sensitive ECL-based sensing of bioanalytes enabling early detection of cancer.

Nucleic Acid Databases and Molecular-Scale Computing

DNA outperforms most conventional storage media in terms of information retention time, physical density, and volumetric coding capacity. Advances in synthesis and sequencing technologies have enabled implementations of large synthetic DNA databases with impressive storage capacity and reliable data recovery. Several robust DNA storage architectures featuring random access, error correction, and content rewritability have been constructed with the potential for scalability and cost reduction. We survey these recent achievements and discuss alternative routes for overcoming the hurdles of engineering practical DNA storage systems. We also review recent exciting work on in vivo DNA memory including intracellular recorders constructed by programmable genome editing tools. Besides information storage, DNA could serve as a versatile molecular computing substrate. We highlight several state-of-the-art DNA computing techniques such as strand displacement, localized hybridization chain reactions, and enzymatic reaction networks. We summarize how these simple primitives have facilitated rational designs and implementations of in vitro DNA reaction networks that emulate digital/analog circuits, artificial neural networks, or nonlinear dynamic systems. We envision these modular primitives could be strategically adapted for sophisticated database operations and massively parallel computations on DNA databases. We also highlight in vivo DNA computing modules such as CRISPR logic gates for building scalable genetic circuits in living cells. To conclude, we discuss various implications and challenges of DNA-based storage and computing, and we particularly encourage innovative work on bridging these two areas of research to further explore molecular parallelism and near-data processing. Such integrated molecular systems could lead to far-reaching applications in biocomputing, security, and medicine.

Triggered and catalyzed self-assembly of hyperbranched DNA structures for logic operations and homogeneous CRET biosensing of microRNA

Toehold-mediated strand displacement-based nanocircuits are developed by integrating catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) with hybridization chain reaction (HCR), which achieves self-assembly of hyperbranched DNA structures and is readily utilized as an enzyme-free amplifier for homogeneous CRET detection of microRNA with high sensitivity and selectivity.

Using RecA protein to enhance kinetic rates of DNA circuits

While DNA circuits are becoming increasingly useful as signal transducers, their utility is inhibited by their slow catalytic rate. Here, we demonstrate how RecA, a recombination enzyme that catalyzes sequence specific strand exchange, can be used to increase circuit rates up to 9-fold. We also show how the introduction of RNA into DNA circuits further controls the specificity of RecA strand exchange, improving signal-to-noise.

Optically Controlled Signal Amplification for DNA Computation

The hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and fuel-catalyst cycles have been applied to address the problem of signal amplification in DNA-based computation circuits. While they function efficiently, these signal amplifiers cannot be switched ON or OFF quickly and noninvasively. To overcome these limitations, a light-activated initiator strand for the HCR, which enabled fast optical OFF → ON switching, was developed. Similarly, when a light-activated version of the catalyst strand or the inhibitor strand of a fuel-catalyst cycle was applied, the cycle could be optically switched from OFF → ON or ON → OFF, respectively. To move the capabilities of these devices beyond solution-based operations, the components were embedded in agarose gels. Irradiation with customizable light patterns and at different time points demonstrated both spatial and temporal control. The addition of a translator gate enabled a spatially activated signal to travel along a predefined path, akin to a chemical wire. Overall, the addition of small light-cleavable photocaging groups to DNA signal amplification circuits enabled conditional control as well as fast photocontrol of signal amplification.

A cascade reaction network mimicking the basic functional steps of adaptive immune response

Biological systems use complex ‘information-processing cores’ composed of molecular networks to coordinate their external environment and internal states. An example of this is the acquired, or adaptive, immune system (AIS), which is composed of both humoral and cell-mediated components. Here we report the step-by-step construction of a prototype mimic of the AIS that we call an adaptive immune response simulator (AIRS). DNA and enzymes are used as simple artificial analogues of the components of the AIS to create a system that responds to specific molecular stimuli in vitro. We show that this network of reactions can function in a manner that is superficially similar to the most basic responses of the vertebrate AIS, including reaction sequences that mimic both humoral and cellular responses. As such, AIRS provides guidelines for the design and engineering of artificial reaction networks and molecular devices.

A cascade reaction network has been created that can function in a manner that is superficially similar to the most basic steps of the vertebrate adaptive immune response. This reaction network uses DNA and enzymes as simple artificial analogues of the components of the acquired immune system.

Real-time sequence-validated loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays for detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), an emerging human coronavirus, causes severe acute respiratory illness with a 35% mortality rate. In light of the recent surge in reported infections we have developed asymmetric five-primer reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assays for detection of MERS-CoV. Isothermal amplification assays will facilitate the development of portable point-of-care diagnostics that are crucial for management of emerging infections. The RT-LAMP assays are designed to amplify MERS-CoV genomic loci located within the open reading frame (ORF)1a and ORF1b genes and upstream of the E gene. Additionally we applied one-step strand displacement probes (OSD) for real-time sequence-specific verification of LAMP amplicons. Asymmetric amplification effected by incorporating a single loop primer in each assay accelerated the time-to-result of the OSD-RT-LAMP assays. The resulting assays could detect 0.02 to 0.2 plaque forming units (PFU) (5 to 50 PFU/ml) of MERS-CoV in infected cell culture supernatants within 30 to 50 min and did not cross-react with common human respiratory pathogens.

Design, synthesis, and application of Spinach molecular beacons triggered by strand displacement

We describe design parameters for the synthesis and analytical application of a label-free RNA molecular beacon, termed Spinach.ST. The RNA aptamer Spinach fluoresces upon binding the small-molecule fluorophore DFHBI ((Z)-4-(3,5-difluoro-4-hydroxybenzylidene)-1,2-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-5(4H)-one). Spinach has been reengineered by extending its 5'- and 3'-ends to create Spinach.ST, which is predicted to fold into an inactive conformation that fails to bind DHFBI. Hybridization of a trigger oligonucleotide to a designed toehold on Spinach.ST initiates toehold-mediated strand displacement and restores the DFHBI-binding, fluorescence-enhancing conformation of Spinach. The versatile Spinach.ST sensor can detect DNA or RNA trigger sequences and can readily distinguish single-nucleotide mismatches in the trigger toehold. Primer design techniques are described that augment amplicons produced by enzymatic amplification with Spinach.ST triggers. Interaction between these triggers and Spinach.ST molecular beacons leads to the real-time, sequence-specific quantitation of these amplicons. The use of Spinach.ST with isothermal amplification reactions such as nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) may enable point-of-care applications. The same design principles could also be used to adapt Spinach reporters to the assay of nonnucleic acid analytes in trans.

Taking baby steps in molecular logic-based computation

Constructs of fluorophores, receptors, spacers, ¹O₂ sensitizers, enzymes and oligonucleotides play their part in advancing the field of molecular logic-based computation.

Applications of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques in studying nucleic acids and nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials

In this review, we summarize recent progress in the application of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques for nucleic acid research that takes advantage of high-flux and high-brilliance electromagnetic radiation from synchrotron sources. The first section of the review focuses on the characterization of the structure and folding processes of nucleic acids using different types of synchrotron-based spectroscopies, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, X-ray footprinting and small-angle X-ray scattering. In the second section, the characterization of nucleic acid-based nanostructures, nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials and nucleic acid-lipid interactions using these spectroscopic techniques is summarized. Insights gained from these studies are described and future directions of this field are also discussed.

A Spinach molecular beacon triggered by strand displacement

We have re-engineered the fluorescent RNA aptamer Spinach to be activated in a sequence-dependent manner. The original Spinach aptamer was extended at its 5'- and 3'-ends to create Spinach.ST, which is predicted to fold into an inactive conformation and thus prevent association with the small molecule fluorophore DFHBI. Hybridization of a specific trigger oligonucleotide to a designed toehold leads to toehold-initiated strand displacement and refolds Spinach into the active, fluorophore-binding conformation. Spinach.ST not only specifically detects its target oligonucleotide but can discriminate readily against single-nucleotide mismatches. RNA amplicons produced during nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) of DNA or RNA targets could be specifically detected and reported in real-time by conformational activation of Spinach.ST generated by in vitro transcription. In order to adapt any target sequence to detection by a Spinach reporter we used a primer design technique that brings together otherwise distal toehold sequences via hairpin formation. The same techniques could potentially be used to adapt common Spinach reporters to non-nucleic acid analytes, rather than by making fusions between aptamers and Spinach.

Exquisite allele discrimination by toehold hairpin primers

The ability to detect and monitor single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in biological samples is an enabling research and clinical tool. We have developed a surprising, inexpensive primer design method that provides exquisite discrimination between SNPs. The field of DNA computation is largely reliant on using so-called toeholds to initiate strand displacement reactions, leading to the execution of kinetically trapped circuits. We have now similarly found that the short toehold sequence to a target of interest can initiate both strand displacement within the hairpin and extension of the primer by a polymerase, both of which will further stabilize the primer:template complex. However, if the short toehold does not bind, neither of these events can readily occur and thus amplification should not occur. Toehold hairpin primers were used to detect drug resistance alleles in two genes, rpoB and katG, in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome, and ten alleles in the Escherichia coli genome. During real-time PCR, the primers discriminate between mismatched templates with Cq delays that are frequently so large that the presence or absence of mismatches is essentially a ‘yes/no’ answer.

Nucleic acid based logical systems

Researchers increasingly visualize a significant role for artificial biochemical logical systems in biological engineering, much like digital logic circuits in electrical engineering. Those logical systems could be utilized as a type of servomechanism to control nanodevices in vitro, monitor chemical reactions in situ, or regulate gene expression in vivo. Nucleic acids (NA), as carriers of genetic information with well-regulated and predictable structures, are promising materials for the design and engineering of biochemical circuits. A number of logical devices based on nucleic acids (NA) have been designed to handle various processes for technological or biotechnological purposes. This article focuses on the most recent and important developments in NA-based logical devices and their evolution from in vitro, through cellular, even towards in vivo biological applications.

Design and application of cotranscriptional non-enzymatic RNA circuits and signal transducers

Nucleic acid circuits are finding increasing real-life applications in diagnostics and synthetic biology. Although DNA has been the main operator in most nucleic acid circuits, transcriptionally produced RNA circuits could provide powerful alternatives for reagent production and their use in cells. Towards these goals, we have implemented a particular nucleic acid circuit, catalytic hairpin assembly, using RNA for both information storage and processing. Our results demonstrated that the design principles developed for DNA circuits could be readily translated to engineering RNA circuits that operated with similar kinetics and sensitivities of detection. Not only could purified RNA hairpins perform amplification reactions but RNA hairpins transcribed in vitro also mediated amplification, even without purification. Moreover, we could read the results of the non-enzymatic amplification reactions using a fluorescent RNA aptamer 'Spinach' that was engineered to undergo sequence-specific conformational changes. These advances were applied to the end-point and real-time detection of the isothermal strand displacement amplification reaction that produces single-stranded DNAs as part of its amplification cycle. We were also able to readily engineer gate structures with RNA similar to those that have previously formed the basis of DNA circuit computations. Taken together, these results validate an entirely new chemistry for the implementation of nucleic acid circuits.

Optochemical control of deoxyoligonucleotide function via a nucleobase-caging approach

Synthetic oligonucleotides have been extensively applied tocontrol a wide range of biological processes such as gene expression, gene repair, DNA replication, and protein activity. Based on well-established sequence design rules that typically rely on Watson-Crick base pairing interactions researchers can readily program the function of these oligonucleotides. Therefore oligonucleotides provide a flexible platform for targeting a wide range of biological molecules, including DNA, RNA, and proteins. In addition, oligonucleotides are commonly used research tools in cell biology and developmental biology. However, a lack of conditional control methods has hampered the precise spatial and temporal regulation of oligonucleotide activity, which limits the application of these reagents to investigate complex biological questions. Nature controls biological function with a high level of spatial and temporal resolution and in order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of biological processes, researchers need tools that allow for the perturbation of these processes with Nature's precision. Light represents an excellent external regulatory element since irradiation can be easily controlled spatially and temporally. Thus, researchers have developed several different methods to conditionally control oligonucleotide activity with light. One of the most versatile strategies is optochemical regulation through the installation and removal of photolabile caging groups on oligonucleotides. To produce switches that can control nucleic acid function with light, chemists introduce caging groups into the oligomer backbone or on specific nucleobases to block oligonucleotide function until the caging groups are removed by light exposure. In this Account, we focus on the application of caged nucleobases to the photoregulation of DNA function. Using this approach, we have both activated and deactivated gene expression optochemically at the transcriptional and translational level with spatial and temporal control. Specifically, we have used caged triplex-forming oligomers and DNA decoys to regulate transcription, and we have regulated translation with light-activated antisense agents. Moreover, we also discuss strategies that can trigger DNA enzymatic activity, DNA amplification, and DNA mutagenesis by light illumination. More recently, we have developed light-activated DNA logic operations, an advance that may lay the foundation for the optochemical control of complex DNA calculations.

Stacking nonenzymatic circuits for high signal gain

Signal amplification schemes that do not rely on protein enzymes show great potential in areas as abstruse as DNA computation and as applied as point-of-care molecular diagnostics. Toehold-mediated strand displacement, a programmable form of dynamic DNA hybridization, can be used to design powerful amplification cascades that can achieve polynomial or exponential amplification of input signals. However, experimental implementation of such amplification cascades has been severely hindered by circuit leakage due to catalyst-independent side reactions. In this study, we systematically analyzed the origins, characteristics, and outcomes of circuit leakage in amplification cascades and devised unique methods to obtain high-quality DNA circuits that exhibit minimal leakage. We successfully implemented a two-layer cascade that yielded 7,000-fold signal amplification and a two-stage, four-layer cascade that yielded upward of 600,000-fold signal amplification. Implementation of these unique methods and design principles should greatly empower molecular programming in general and DNA-based molecular diagnostics in particular.

A nanoliter-scale open chemical reactor

An open chemical reactor is a container that exchanges matter with the exterior. Well-mixed open chemical reactors, called continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR), have been instrumental for investigating the dynamics of out-of-equilibrium chemical processes, such as oscillations, bistability, and chaos. Here, we introduce a microfluidic CSTR, called μCSTR, that reduces reagent consumption by six orders of magnitude. It consists of an annular reactor with four inlets and one outlet fabricated in PDMS using multi-layer soft lithography. A monolithic peristaltic pump feeds fresh reagents into the reactor through the inlets. After each injection the content of the reactor is continuously mixed with a second peristaltic pump. The efficiency of the μCSTR is experimentally characterized using a bromate, sulfite, ferrocyanide pH oscillator. Simulations accounting for the digital injection process are in agreement with experimental results. The low consumption of the μCSTR will be advantageous for investigating out-of-equilibrium dynamics of chemical processes involving biomolecules. These studies have been scarce so far because a miniaturized version of a CSTR was not available.

DNAzyme-functionalized gold nanoparticles for biosensing

Recent progress in using DNAzyme-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for biosensing is summarized in this chapter. A variety of methods, including those for attaching DNA on AuNPs, detecting metal ions and small molecules by DNAzyme-functionalized AuNPs, and intracellular applications of DNAzyme-functionalized AuNPs are discussed. DNAzyme-functionalized AuNPs will increasingly play more important roles in biosensing and many other multidisciplinary applications. This chapter covers the recent advancement in biosensing applications of DNAzyme-functionalized gold nanoparticles, including the detection of metal ions, small molecules, and intracellular imaging.

pH-programmable DNA logic arrays powered by modular DNAzyme libraries

Nature performs complex information processing circuits, such the programmed transformations of versatile stem cells into targeted functional cells. Man-made molecular circuits are, however, unable to mimic such sophisticated biomachineries. To reach these goals, it is essential to construct programmable modular components that can be triggered by environmental stimuli to perform different logic circuits. We report on the unprecedented design of artificial pH-programmable DNA logic arrays, constructed by modular libraries of Mg(2+)- and UO(2)(2+)-dependent DNAzyme subunits and their substrates. By the appropriate modular design of the DNA computation units, pH-programmable logic arrays of various complexities are realized, and the arrays can be erased, reused, and/or reprogrammed. Such systems may be implemented in the near future for nanomedical applications by pH-controlled regulation of cellular functions or may be used to control biotransformations stimulated by bacteria.

Synthetic in vitro circuits

Inspired by advances in the ability to construct programmable circuits in living organisms, in vitro circuits are emerging as a viable platform for designing, understanding, and exploiting dynamic biochemical circuitry. In vitro systems allow researchers to directly access and manipulate biomolecular parts without the unwieldy complexity and intertwined dependencies that often exist in vivo. Experimental and computational foundations in DNA, DNA/RNA, and DNA/RNA/protein based circuitry have given rise to systems with more than 100 programmed molecular constituents. Functionally, they have diverse capabilities including: complex mathematical calculations, associative memory tasks, and sensing of small molecules. Progress in this field is showing that cell-free synthetic biology is a versatile testing ground for understanding native biological circuits and engineering novel functionality.

Steric crowding and the kinetics of DNA hybridization within a DNA nanostructure system

The ability to generate precisely designed molecular networks and modulate the surrounding environment is vital for fundamental studies of chemical reactions. DNA nanotechnology simultaneously affords versatility and modularity for the construction of tailored molecular environments. We systematically studied the effects of steric crowding on the hybridization of a 20 nucleotide (nt) single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) target to a complementary probe strand extended from a rectangular six-helix tile, where the number and character of the surrounding strands influence the molecular environment of the hybridization site. The hybridization events were monitored through an increase in the quantum yield of a single reporter fluorophore (5-carboxyfluorescein) upon hybridization of the 20-nt ssDNA, an effect previously undocumented in similar systems. We observed that as the hybridization site moved from outer to inner positions along the DNA tile, the hybridization rate constant decreased. A similar rate decrease was observed when noncomplementary single- and double-stranded DNA flanked the hybridization site. However, base-pairing interactions between the hybridization site of the probe and the surrounding DNA resulted in a reduction in the reaction kinetics. The decreases in the hybridization rate constants can be explained by the reduced probability of successful nucleation of the invading ssDNA target to the complementary probe.

An aptazyme-based molecular device that converts a small-molecule input into an RNA output

We describe the construction of an aptazyme-based molecular device that converts, through a cascade of reactions, a small-molecule input into output RNA strands. This device is applicable as an interface between a small molecule and a molecular system that accepts only nucleic acid input.

DNA computation: a photochemically controlled AND gate

DNA computation is an emerging field that enables the assembly of complex circuits based on defined DNA logic gates. DNA-based logic gates have previously been operated through purely chemical means, controlling logic operations through DNA strands or other biomolecules. Although gates can operate through this manner, it limits temporal and spatial control of DNA-based logic operations. A photochemically controlled AND gate was developed through the incorporation of caged thymidine nucleotides into a DNA-based logic gate. By using light as the logic inputs, both spatial control and temporal control were achieved. In addition, design rules for light-regulated DNA logic gates were derived. A step-response, which can be found in a controller, was demonstrated. Photochemical inputs close the gap between DNA computation and silicon-based electrical circuitry, since light waves can be directly converted into electrical output signals and vice versa. This connection is important for the further development of an interface between DNA logic gates and electronic devices, enabling the connection of biological systems with electrical circuits.

RTRACS: a modularized RNA-dependent RNA transcription system with high programmability

Creating artificial biological systems is an important research endeavor. Each success contributes to synthetic biology and adds to our understanding of the functioning of the biomachinery of life. In the construction of large, complex systems, a modular approach simplifies the design process: a multilayered system can be prepared by integrating simple modules. With the concept of modularity, a variety of synthetic biological systems have been constructed, both in vivo and in vitro. But to properly develop systems with desired functions that integrate multiple modules, researchers need accurate mathematical models. In this Account, we review the development of a modularized artificial biological system known as RTRACS (reverse transcription and transcription-based autonomous computing system). In addition to modularity, model-guided predictability is an important feature of RTRACS. RTRACS has been developed as an in vitro artificial biological system through the assembly of RNA, DNA, and enzymes. A fundamental module of RTRACS receives an input RNA with a specific sequence and returns an output RNA with another specific sequence programmed in the main body, which is composed of DNA and enzymes. The conversion of the input RNA to the output RNA is achieved through a series of programmed reactions performed by the components assembled in the module. Through the substitution of a subset of components, a module that performs the AND operation was constructed. Other logical operations could be constructed with RTRACS modules. An integration of RTRACS modules has allowed the theoretical design of more complex functions, such as oscillation. The operations of these RTRACS modules were readily predicted with a numerical simulation based on a mathematical model using realistic parameters. RTRACS has the potential to model highly complex systems that function like a living cell. RTRACS was designed to be integrated with other molecules or molecular devices, for example, aptazymes, cell-free expression systems, and liposomes. For the integration of these new modules, the quantitative controls of each module based on the numerical simulation will be instructive. The capabilities of RTRACS promise to provide models of complex biomolecular systems that are able to detect the environment, assess the situation, and react to overcome the situation. Such a smart biomolecular system could be useful in many applications, such as drug delivery systems.

Challenges and opportunities for structural DNA nanotechnology

DNA molecules have been used to build a variety of nanoscale structures and devices over the past 30 years, and potential applications have begun to emerge. But the development of more advanced structures and applications will require a number of issues to be addressed, the most significant of which are the high cost of DNA and the high error rate of self-assembly. Here we examine the technical challenges in the field of structural DNA nanotechnology and outline some of the promising applications that could be developed if these hurdles can be overcome. In particular, we highlight the potential use of DNA nanostructures in molecular and cellular biophysics, as biomimetic systems, in energy transfer and photonics, and in diagnostics and therapeutics for human health.

Dynamic DNA nanotechnology using strand-displacement reactions

The specificity and predictability of Watson-Crick base pairing make DNA a powerful and versatile material for engineering at the nanoscale. This has enabled the construction of a diverse and rapidly growing set of DNA nanostructures and nanodevices through the programmed hybridization of complementary strands. Although it had initially focused on the self-assembly of static structures, DNA nanotechnology is now also becoming increasingly attractive for engineering systems with interesting dynamic properties. Various devices, including circuits, catalytic amplifiers, autonomous molecular motors and reconfigurable nanostructures, have recently been rationally designed to use DNA strand-displacement reactions, in which two strands with partial or full complementarity hybridize, displacing in the process one or more pre-hybridized strands. This mechanism allows for the kinetic control of reaction pathways. Here, we review DNA strand-displacement-based devices, and look at how this relatively simple mechanism can lead to a surprising diversity of dynamic behaviour.