DNA walker

A DNA walker is a class of nucleic acid nanomachines where a nucleic acid "walker" is able to move along a nucleic acid "track". DNA walkers have functional properties such as a range of motion extending from linear to 2 and 3-dimensional, the ability to pick up and drop off molecular cargo, performing DNA-templated synthesis, and increased velocity of motion. DNA walkers have potential applications ranging from nanomedicine to nanorobotics.[1][2][3] Many different fuel options have been studied including DNA hybridization, hydrolysis of DNA or ATP, and light.[4] The DNA walker's function is similar to that of the proteins dynein and kinesin.[1]

Role in DNA nanotechnology

Finding a suitable nanoscale motor capable of autonomous, unidirectional, linear motion is considered important to the development of DNA nanotechnology.[1][2] The walkers have been shown to be capable of autonomous motion over linear, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional DNA 'tracks' through a large number of schemes. In September 2004, Jong-Shik et al. exhibited the ability to control the motion of the walkers by using 'control strands' which need to be manually added in a specific order according to the template's sequence in order to get the desired path of motion.[5] In July 2005, Bath et al. showed that another way to control DNA walker motion is to use restriction enzymes to strategically cleave the 'track', causing the forward motion of the walkers.[6] In 2010, two different sets of researchers exhibited the walkers' more complex abilities to selectively pick up and drop off molecular cargo[7][8] and to perform DNA-templated synthesis as the walker moves along the track.[9] In late 2015, Yehl et al. showed that three orders of magnitude higher than the speeds of motion seen previously were possible when using DNA-coated spherical particles that would "roll" on a surface modified with RNA complementary to the nanoparticle's DNA. RNase H was used to hydrolyse the RNA, releasing the bound DNA and allowing the DNA to hybridize to RNA further downstream.[10]

Applications

The applications of DNA walkers include nanomedicine,[11] diagnostic sensing of biological samples,[12] nanorobotics[13] and much more.[3] In late 2015, Yehl et al. improved the DNA walker's function by increasing its velocity, and it has been proposed as the basis for a low-cost, low-tech diagnostics machine capable of detecting single nucleotide mutations and heavy-metal contamination in water.[12]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Simmel, Friedrich (September 8, 2009). "Processive Motion of Bipedal DNA Walkers". ChemPhysChem 10 (15): 2593–7. doi:10.1002/cphc.200900493. PMID 19739195.
  2. 1 2 Pan, Jing (August 2015). "Recent progress on DNA based walkers". Curr Opin Biotechnol. 34: 56–64. doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2014.11.017. PMID 25498478.
  3. 1 2 Leigh, David (April 2014). "Synthetic DNA Walkers". Top Curr Chem. Topics in Current Chemistry 354: 111–38. doi:10.1007/128_2014_546. ISBN 978-3-319-08677-4. PMID 24770565.
  4. ↑ You, Mingxu (Mar 5, 2012). "An Autonomous and Controllable Light-Driven DNA Walking Device". Angewandte Chemie 51 (10): 2457–60. doi:10.1002/anie.201107733. PMC 3843772. PMID 22298502.
  5. ↑ Shin, Jong-Shik (8 September 2004). "A synthetic DNA walker for molecular transport". Journal of the American Chemical Society 126 (35): 10834–5. doi:10.1021/ja047543j. PMID 15339155.
  6. ↑ Bath, Jonathan (July 11, 2005). "A free-running DNA motor powered by a nicking enzyme". Angewandte Chemie International Edition 117 (28): 4432. doi:10.1002/ange.200501262.
  7. ↑ Lund, Kyle (May 13, 2010). "Molecular Robots Guided by Prescriptive Landscapes". Nature 465 (7295): 206–10. Bibcode:2010Natur.465..206L. doi:10.1038/nature09012. PMC 2907518. PMID 20463735.
  8. ↑ Gu, Hongzhou; Chao, Jie; Xiao, Shou-Jun; Seeman, Nadrian C. "A proximity-based programmable DNA nanoscale assembly line". Nature 465 (7295): 202–205. doi:10.1038/nature09026. PMC 2872101. PMID 20463734.
  9. ↑ He, Yu (Nov 5, 2010). "Autonomous Multistep Organic Synthesis in a Single Isothermal Solution Mediated by a DNA Walker". Nat Nanotechnol. 5 (11): 778–82. Bibcode:2010NatNa...5..778H. doi:10.1038/nnano.2010.190. PMC 2974042. PMID 20935654.
  10. ↑ Yehl, Kevin (Nov 30, 2015). "High-speed DNA-based rolling motors powered by RNase H". Nature Nanotechnology. doi:10.1038/nnano.2015.259. PMID 26619152.
  11. ↑ Boehm, Frank (Nov 18, 2013). Nanomedical Device and Systems Design: Challenges, Possibilities, Visions. CRC Press. ISBN 9781439863237.
  12. 1 2 "Nano-walkers take speedy leap forward with first rolling DNA-based motor". phys.org. Phys.org. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  13. ↑ "Chapter 18 : DNA Nano Robotics – NanoTechnology Journal & Publications". NanoTechnology Journal & Publications. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
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