Dr. Julián Valero, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (CAESAR), University of Bonn, Germany

Functional interlocked DNA nanostructures for molecular engineering

Functional supramolecular systems self-assemble into architectures that reflect different levels of complexity with respect to their function, their arrangement in the second and third dimension and their intrinsic interactions. In particular, the rapidly developing field of DNA nanotechnology shows promise for building useful devices that can perform nanoscale operations.

DNA nanotechnology has undergone remarkable progress in the past decade and was used for constructing 2D and 3D structural elements or complex dynamic machines and logic gates that can be triggered by various inputs. DNA has also been used to build mechanically interlocked structures such as catenanes, rotaxanes, and daisy-chains as precursors for other structures such as molecular motors or logic gates for DNA computing. The mechanical interlocking allows performing highly controlled and specific motion, by reducing the dimensionality of random diffusion-controlled processes without affecting its mobility.

My talk will focus on interlocked DNA molecules and bio-hybrid DNA architectures of designed and built-in functionality. I will present examples for nanoscale interlocked DNA architectures illustrating how elementary functional units of future nanomachines can be designed and realized, and what role interlocked DNA architectures may play in this endeavor. In particular, examples of artificial rotatory and linear motors based on DNA nanostructures will be discussed.

Host: Professor Jørgen Kjems, iNANO & Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University