Scientists developed a DNA-based molecular controller that autonomously directs the assembly and disassembly of molecular robots, a key approach with potential applications in medicine and nanotechnology.
In a development that brings us closer to swarms of autonomously operating molecular robots, Japanese researchers created a DNA-based molecular controller that can direct their assembly and disassembly.
, by scientists at Tohoku University and Kyoto University, outlines this new technology, which has applications in nanotechnology and medicine. TheThe molecular controller, made of artificially designed DNA molecules and enzymes, can guide molecular robots by outputting particular DNA molecules. As explained in aby the study’s co-author, molecular robotics professor Shin-ichiro M. Nomura of Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Engineering, this approach allows the robots to automatically self-assemble and disassemble, “without the need for external manipulation.” This is significant because such operation makes it possible for the robots to carry out tasks in environments where external signals cannot penetrate. Preceding research by Professor Kakugo and colleagues showcased molecular robots that moved individually, while the molecular controller facilitates swarm-like behavior, thanks to a programmed sequence., “Living organisms are autonomous systems capable of sensing their environment, processing information, and executing the necessary actions.” Scientists are fascinated by this autonomy and look to synthesize autonomous systems that would not need manual operations. For the engineers in the emerging field of bioinspired robotics, a focus has developed on utilizing both hard and soft materials. As scientists were able to dramatically miniaturize bioinspired soft materials, molecular robotics has grown, looking to create robots from molecular ingredients. “Biomolecules such as nucleic acids and proteins are promising building block candidates for molecular robots because of their programmability and high specificity,” wrote the scientists. The molecular controller they devised can issue a DNA signal to microtubules in a solution that serves as a command to “assemble.” The microtubules — narrow, tube-like structures that support the shape of a plant or animal cell and play an important role in essential processes like transport and cell division — have modified DNA and are propelled by kinesin molecular motors. Kinesin is a motor protein that moves along microtubules and is an important part of intracellular transport, cell division, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Once the microtubules receive the DNA signal from the controller, they can change the direction of their movement and automatically assemble into a bundled structure. If the controller was to output a “disassemble” command, the microtubule bundles would disassemble. This is accomplished by controlling the molecular circuit, which processes such signals. Besides Professor Nomura, the research team consisted of associate professor Ibuki Kawamata and Professor Akira Kakugo of Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Science, as well as the graduate student Kohei Nishiyama from the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.reached out to Professor Nomura for more details on the team’s research. Nomura elaborated on the importance of the molecular controller their team developed, focusing on the kind of technological advancement it took to create it. As the scientist shared, their molecular controller is significant because it uses a cascade reaction of DNA molecules as a program that controls the assembly and disassembly of molecular robots, calling it a “proof-of-concept experiment.” While molecular reactions in DNA circuits tend to be regarded as static, a 2017 paper by Nomura and colleagues inalready demonstrated the possibility of using a molecular “clutch” made of modified DNA molecules to affect the shape of a molecular robot. That robot’s body consisted of a vesicle made from a lipid bilayer and an actuator made of proteins, kinesin, and microtubules. It also featured a clutch created with designed DNA molecules. Responding to a signal molecule composed of a sequence-designed DNA, the clutch transmitted force generated by the motor to the membrane. This led the robot to continuously change shapes. It was also possible to end this shape-changing behavior by shining a light at the robot, causing the signal molecule to be released, disengaging the clutch. As Nomura wrote in our correspondence, “We have shown that even dynamic targets that move quickly and strongly with molecular motors can be controlled,” adding that they also “gained confidence as researchers by discovering that the DNA program of self-amplification system can operate when mixed in the solution on-site, rather than being isolated in a CPU case packed in an untouchable manner.”Further advancement of this tech is likely to lead to more complex self-guided molecular systems, with robots managing tasks that can only be done as swarms. They’d assemble based on a given command, carry the tasks out, and then come apart. The researchers see the potential for further automation of molecular robot swarms and how they process bimolecular information by utilizing the controller functionality with complex DNA circuits and amplification devices. As Professor Nomura explained to Interesting Engineering, what is exciting about the molecules is that while they are “destined to flicker due to entropy effects,” they can also be “ordered to clear away .” The potential applications of this work are numerous. Used in medicine, the technology can be employed for targeted drug delivery and very precise surgery at the molecular level. In environmental science, molecular robot swarms might help to detect and neutralize pollutants. In material science, on the other hand, the tech can assist in the development of new materials that feature self-assembling properties. “The versatility of the molecular controller opens up numerous possibilities for its application across different domains, “ Namura stated. As the researcher explained, they are currently focused on a few particular challenges. The primary focus is increasing is increasing the complexity and functionality of the molecular robots while maintaining very precise control. They are also working to improve the stability and robustness of their systems in a variety of environments. “Moving forward, we aim to develop the technology to interface with natural molecular phenomena under more stringent conditions, “ shared Namura, adding, “We are also exploring more real-world applications, transitioning from laboratory settings to practical implementations.” Specifically, that means understanding how to use this technology as “a robust artificial multicellular operating system.”Paul Ratner is a writer, award-winning filmmaker, and educator. He has written for years for Interesting Engineering, Big Think, Huffington Post and other publications, focusing on stories of paradigm shifts in science, technology and history. Paul lives in sunny Sarasota, Florida.
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