A DNA origami-based nanoscale molecular transport railway

Abstract

Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, has taken on new meaning for the fields of chemistry and biology. DNA origami describes the folding of DNA strands to form nanoscale structures. The ability to design and form complex structures at a nanoscale level has fuelled new ambitions of nanostructure applications in life science. These predefined shapes become base structures for the development of a higher and complex functional structure. In a recent paper, Stömmer et al., demonstrated the ability to design a macromolecular level transportation network that allows the movement of molecules at sub-molecular levels using DNA. A multi-layer DNA origami was used to build micrometer-long hollow tunnels akin to railway tunnels. An accompanying DNA piston travelled through the tunnels with constant motion. The system also accommodated the application of electric fields to fuel the motion of the pistons along the filaments simulating a nanoscale electric railway system. This could revolutionize the way molecular drug delivery systems can be perceived in the future.