DNA Nanomechanical Devices

The goals of nanotechnology include nanorobotics. We have produced two different DNA nanomechanical devices. One device is based on the B-Z transition of DNA. Such a device can achieve two different structural states. A more complex device is a 2-state sequence dependent device. This device operates on the basis of differential hybridization topology. N such devices in an array could achieve 2**N different structural states. We have also learned how to control this device with RNA strands. We have also built a 3-state sequence dependent device. We have used the 2-state sequence dependent device to build a translation device. In a major advance for DNA-based nanorobotics, we have developed a cassette that inserts the sequence-dependent device into a 2D crystalline DNA array. We have attached two of these cassettes into a DNA origami to created a dynamically programmed molecular capture system. The most complex nanomechanical system we have put together is a proximity-based programmable DNA nanoscale assembly line.

We have developed a nanobot-like bipedal walking device, where the rise and fall of each foot of the biped is controlled by introducing DNA strands with specific sequences into the solution. We have also developed an autonomous bipedal walking device.

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