DNA nanomechanical devices for molecular biology and DNA nanotechnology.

摘要

The aim of nanotechnology is to put specific atomic and molecular species where we want them, when we want them there. Achieving such a dynamic and functional control could lead to molecular programming. Structural DNA nanotechnology offers a powerful route to this goal by combining stable branched DNA motifs with cohesive ends to produce objects, programmed nanomechanical devices and fixed or modified patterned lattices.;In Chapter II, a two-armed nanorobotic device is built based on a DNA origami substrate. The arms face each other, ready to capture different DNA nanostructures into distinguishable nanopatterns. Combining with a simple error-correction protocol, we are able to achieve this goal in a nearly flawless fashion.;In Chapter III, a DNA-based programmable assembly line is developed by combining three PX/JX2 cassettes and a novel DNA walker on a DNA origami substrate. This programmable assembly line can generate eight products by switching the cassettes to PX (ON) or JX2 (OFF) state when the DNA walker passes by.;DNA nanomechanical devices hold the promise of controlling structure and performing exquisitely fine measurements on the molecular scale. Several DNA nanomechanical devices based on different biochemistry phenomena have been reported before. In Chapter IV, a scissors-based DNA device is built to measure the work that can be done by a DNA-bending protein (MutS) when it binds to DNA.