Software-controlled assembly of oligomers

我们建议创造一台分子机器，它将在软件控制下构建新材料。机器的输出将是通过共价键连接的积木链。这台机器是模块化的，旨在接受从小分子到纳米颗粒的许多不同的积木，具有广泛的物理和化学性质。为了推动它的发展，我们将专注于利用它来创造两个目标产品：一种能够传输能量和电荷的分子线，以及一种催化剂。软件控制从最终用户对构建块序列的指定开始。目标序列被编码在机器可以读取的指令带中：该带本身就是一个分子，一种合成的DNA寡聚体。构建块的目标序列自动转换为DNA碱基的控制序列，并通过商业固相合成生产该带。机器的工作是读取指导带，并按指定的顺序在积木之间形成粘结。这个分子工厂的每个组件本身就是一个分子：我们的目标是开发这个系统，使其能够作为塑料瓶中的化学品分发给最终用户。

We propose to create a molecular machine that will build new materials under software control. The output of the machine will be chains of building blocks linked by covalent bonds. The machine is modular and is designed to accept many different building blocks, from small molecules to nanoparticles, with a wide range of physical and chemical properties. In order to drive its development we will concentrate on using it to create two target products: a molecular wire, capable of transporting energy and electrical charge, and a catalyst. Software control starts with specification by the end-user of a sequence of building blocks. The target sequence is encoded in an instruction tape which can be read by the machine: the tape is itself a molecule, a synthetic DNA oligomer. The target sequence of building blocks is automatically converted into a control sequence of DNA bases, and the tape is produced by commercial solid-phase synthesis. The job of the machine is to read the instruction tape and to form the bonds between building blocks in the specified sequence. Every component of this molecular factory is itself a molecule: our ambition is to develop the system to the point where it could be distributed to end users as chemicals in plastic vials.