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Electrical Actuation of DNA-Based Nanomechanical Systems

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DNA and RNA Origami

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2639))

Abstract

DNA nanotechnology provides efficient methods for the sequence-programmable construction of mechanical devices with nanoscale dimensions. The resulting nanomachines could serve as tools for the manipulation of macromolecules with similar functionalities as mechanical tools and machinery in the macroscopic world. In order to drive and control these machines and to perform specific tasks, a fast, reliable, and repeatable actuation mechanism is required that can work against external loads. Here we describe a highly effective method for actuating DNA structures using externally applied electric fields. To this end, electric fields are generated with controllable direction and amplitude inside a miniature electrophoresis device integrated with an epifluorescence microscope. With this setup, DNA-based nanoelectromechanical devices can be precisely controlled. As an example, we demonstrate how a DNA-based nanorobotic system can be used to dynamically position molecules on a molecular platform with high speeds and accuracy. The microscopy setup also described here allows simultaneous monitoring of a large number of nanorobotic arms in real time and at the single nanomachine level.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through SFB 1032 “Nanoagents” (TPA2).

Jonathan List gratefully acknowledges support by a generous stipend of the “Peter und Traudl Engelhorn-Stiftung”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department – E14, TU Munich, Garching, Germany

    Jonathan List, Enzo Kopperger & Friedrich C. Simmel

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  1. Jonathan List
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  2. Enzo Kopperger
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  3. Friedrich C. Simmel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Friedrich C. Simmel .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aarhus university, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus, Denmark

    Julián Valero

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List, J., Kopperger, E., Simmel, F.C. (2023). Electrical Actuation of DNA-Based Nanomechanical Systems. In: Valero, J. (eds) DNA and RNA Origami. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2639. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3028-0_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3028-0_15

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3027-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3028-0

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