DNA origami revolutionizes rapid testing: nanotech boosts diagnostic sensitivity 125x, transforming point-of-care and home testing technology.

DNA origami revolutionizes rapid testing: nanotech boosts diagnostic sensitivity 125x, transforming point-of-care and home testing technology.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now developed an extremely reliable and stable DNA switch.

Researchers have created moDON, a new modular method to assemble DNA origami structures and form superstructures.

Spring-loaded DNA origami arrays enable nanorobots to integrate diverse inputs with logic-based, sequential operations.

This study utilizes single particle tracking (SPT) to capture real-time interactions between DNA origami nanorods (NRs) and cell surfaces. Functionalized NRs targeting EGFR-expressing cells exhibit s....

Bottom-up, seeded epitaxial assembly using twisted DNA origami seeds directs the formation of 2D DNA lattices to create moiré superlattices, enabling a design space for programmable materials that com...

Through the programmable self-assembly of lipid-inspired radially symmetric DNA, porous molecular membranes and cell-sized compartments are formed with applications in bottom-up biology and soft robot...

Plus: Ebola structure, anticancer vaccines and more!

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a massive protein system that controls all nucleocytoplasmic transport via a dynamic network of intrinsically disordered proteins called FG-Nups. We developed an NPC-mimicking DNA origami nanostructure that self-assembles into a tetrameric, octagonal nanopore with an inner diameter that, through addition of DNA oligonucleotides, can be tuned in a user-defined fashion from 57 to 66 nm - mimicking the contracted and dilated states of NPCs. We demonstrated that these origami nanopores can dilate within minutes and recontract at slower timescales. Both contracted and dilated pores can be inserted into lipid bilayers, where they maintain their conformation and allow transmembrane transport of fluorescent proteins. With outer diameters up to 87 nm, these are, to our knowledge, the largest DNA origami nanopores inserted into lipid membranes. Functionalization of the pores with the FG-Nup Nsp1 reduces non-specific cargo diffusion across the lipid membrane while facilitating translocation of the transport receptor Kap95, demonstrating transport selectivity much like biological NPCs. The work establishes a size-tunable platform to dissect nuclear transport mechanisms, with potential applications for engineering programmable artificial channels. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Dutch Research Council, https://ror.org/04jsz6e67, OCENW.GROOT.2019.068, OCENW.XS23.3.049

DNA nanostructures have the potential to be powerful tool...

Periodic lattices of high refractive index materials manipulate light in exceptional manners. Resulting remarkable properties range from photonic band gaps to chiral active matter, which critically depend on parameters of crystal lattices such as the unit cell, lattice type, and periodicity. In self-assembled materials, the lattice properties are inherited by the geometry and size of the macromolecules or colloidal particles assembling the unit cell. DNA origami allows for excellent control over the size and shape of assembled macromolecules while simultaneously allowing control over the interaction between them and ultimately the crystal’s structure. Here, we present the assembly of chiral, rhombohedral crystals in one, two, and three dimensions built by a DNA origami tensegrity triangle. Subsequent modification of the lattice with gold nanorods converts the lattices into chiral plasmonic metamaterials active in the visible and near-infrared spectral range. We demonstrate their chiral activity and corroborate the experimental results with simulated data.

Researchers engineered a fuel-driven DNA origami nanosyringe that moves in approximately 14 nm steps to reversibly penetrate model lipid membranes and transport molecular cargo. The device also trigge...

Custom nanostructures joined into flexible chains rapidly transform into programmable nanorobotic components with high yield.