Dynamic DNA Assemblies in Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been widely used to construct homogeneous structures with increasing complexity for biological and biomedical applications due to their powerful functionalities. Especially, dynamic DNA assemblies (DDAs) have demonstrated the ability to simulate molecular motions and fluctuations in bionic systems. DDAs, including DNA robots, DNA probes, DNA nanochannels, DNA templates, etc., can perform structural transformations or predictable behaviors in response to corresponding stimuli and show potential in the fields of single molecule sensing, drug delivery, molecular assembly, etc. A wave of exploration of the principles in designing and usage of DDAs has occurred, however, knowledge on these concepts is still limited. Although some previous reviews have been reported, systematic and detailed reviews are rare. To achieve a better understanding of the mechanisms in DDAs, herein, the recent progress on the fundamental principles regarding DDAs and their applications are summarized. The relative assembly principles and computer‐aided software for their designing are introduced. The advantages and disadvantages of each software are discussed. The motional mechanisms of the DDAs are classified into exogenous and endogenous stimuli‐triggered responses. The special dynamic behaviors of DDAs in biomedical applications are also summarized. Moreover, the current challenges and future directions of DDAs are proposed.

Advances in aptamers against Aβ and applications in Aβ detection and regulation for Alzheimer's disease

“…The single molecular technology and computational simulation technology provide opportunities for the discovery and development of innovative Aβ-targeting aptamer probes. Moreover, with the development and advance of artificial base 156 , functional nucleic acid 157 and DNA assembly 158 , 159 , the abilities of target recognition, response and delivery can be achieved by the combination of novel functional elements or nanostructure and Aβ-specific aptamers with excellent characteristics, which can give rise to a variety of fascinating novel applications for AD diagnosis and treatment.…”

DNA‐Based Architectures for in situ Target Biomolecule Analysis in Confined Nano‐space†

“…DNA nanomachine is the new development direction of DNA molecular nanotechnology in recent years, which has been employed in dozens of fields such as biosensing and imaging. [ 34 ] When stimulated externally, it can switch from one state to another, thus developing into a nano‐scale machinery that can be precisely controlled by specific molecules. Exploiting this principle, DNA dynamic nanomachines can make precise detections of specific molecules.…”

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“…It is especially important for therapeutic applications such as DNA-based drug delivery systems; hence, building a stable structure has been a target property in design [90], [91]. Yet, it is hard to find a proper design strategy against this problem other than decorating with other molecules to prevent digestion or bolstering the rigidity of the structure overall since there is various uncertainties in factors affecting the stability [24], [27], [92]. As a result, computational models that consider this issue in the design phase are hardly found.…”

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