Real time magnetic control of DNA origami devices and metamaterials

DNA纳米技术使设计动态纳米尺度的设备，可以表现出复杂的运动，重新配置，并转移类似于宏观机器的力量。这些微小的结构也很容易修改，以纳入生物分子或纳米颗粒，使它们非常有希望作为工具，在分子尺度上进行机械测试或创建形状转换材料。然而，实现这种基于DNA的设备或材料的功能潜力需要一种鲁棒的方法来快速精确地控制它们的运动。为了应对这些挑战，基于动态DNA的设备和材料将与磁致动平台集成，以实现强大且具有成本效益的方法来测试生物分子和基于DNA的纳米材料的机械性能，这些纳米材料的形状和性能可以实时磁控。这些器件和材料可以在生物物理学、纳米制造、生物传感和纳米机器人等领域具有广泛的应用。此外，该研究项目将为研究生和本科生提供跨学科培训，包括磁学，生物物理学，DNA纳米技术和纳米材料。这项工作将转化为更广泛的科学和工程劳动力培训，通过为高中学生和教师开展的物理学、工程学和生物学（例如磁学、力学、DNA）主题的外联活动，通过演示DNA自组装和DNA设备磁致动的课堂和实验室项目，DNA自组装是创建分子系统纳米结构的有力方法。为了实现这些系统的全部潜力，快速的时间（亚秒）和高空间（10-50 nm）控制仍然是一个挑战。这项工作将整合设计和分层组装的DNA设备和材料与畴壁为基础的磁镊子平台，使先进的控制驱动的DNA结构。这些磁性镊子允许在多个方向和多个位置处利用力和运动输入同时控制多个磁性粒子。因此，该研究将利用磁驱动的DNA结构来开发力谱平台，重点是测试施加的力对分子相互作用的影响，特别是蛋白质-DNA相互作用。这些设备将能够在多个方向上施加力（例如拉伸和压缩），这对于其他方法来说是非常具有挑战性的，而DNA结构可以精确控制分子样品的相对定位和方向。此外，材料将基于DNA纳米结构的分层组装来开发，其中畴壁磁镊将驱动材料和/或底层组件的膨胀、塌陷或旋转。几何参数和驱动力将通过有限元模拟进行指导，以呈现具有可调特性的新型定制DNA结构超材料，例如负泊松比或剧烈的形状变化，这些特性可以通过用户定义或计算机控制的磁场进行控制。推广和教育工作将通过俄亥俄州州立大学翻译工程到K到8计划吸引学生和高中教师。便携式磁致动系统将被开发，使这些高中教师和学生与纳米级系统互动，并展示相关的基本概念。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

DNA nanotechnology enables the design of dynamic nano-scale devices that can exhibit complex motion, reconfiguration, and transfer forces similar to macroscopic machines. These tiny constructs are also easily modified to incorporate biomolecules or nanoparticles, making them highly promising as tools to perform mechanical testing at a molecular scale or to create shape transforming materials. However, realizing the functional potential of such DNA-based devices or materials requires a robust approach for the rapid and precise control of their motion. To address these challenges, dynamic DNA-based devices and materials will be integrated with magnetic actuation platforms to enable robust and cost-effective approaches to test mechanical properties of biomolecules and DNA-based nanomaterials whose shape and properties can be magnetically controlled in real-time. These devices and materials can have broad applications in fields including biophysics, nanomanufacturing, biosensing, and nanorobotics. In addition, the research project will provide inter-disciplinary training of graduate and undergraduate students in fields including magnetism, biophysics, DNA nanotechnology, and nanomaterials. The work will be translated into broader science and engineering workforce training through outreach activities for high- and middle-school students and teachers in topics of physics, engineering and biology (e.g. magnetism, mechanics, DNA) with hands-on classroom and laboratory projects that demonstrate DNA self-assembly and magnetic actuation of DNA devices.DNA-based self-assembly is a powerful method to create nano-constructs of molecular systems. To achieve the full potential of these systems rapid temporal (sub-second) and high spatial (10-50 nm) control has remained a challenge. This work will integrate design and hierarchical assembly of DNA devices and materials with a domain-wall based magnetic tweezers platform to enable advanced controlled actuation of DNA constructs. These magnetic tweezers allow for simultaneous control of multiple magnetic particles with force and motion inputs in multiple directions and at multiple locations. The study will thus leverage magnetically driven DNA constructs to develop force spectroscopy platforms with a focus on testing effects of applied forces on molecular interactions, in particular protein-DNA interactions. The devices will enable application of forces in multiple directions (e.g. tension and compression), which is highly challenging with other methods, while the DNA structures provide precise control over relative positioning and orientation of molecular samples. Furthermore, materials will be developed based on hierarchical assembly of DNA nanostructures where domain-wall magnetic tweezers will drive expansion, collapse, or rotation of materials and/or underlying components. Geometrical parameters and actuation forces will be guided by finite element simulations to render novel tailored DNA structural metamaterials with tunable properties such as negative Poisson's ratio or drastic shape changes that can be controlled via user-defined or computer controlled magnetic fields. Outreach and education efforts will engage students and high school teachers through the Ohio State University Translating Engineering to K through 8 program. Portable magnetic actuation systems will be developed to allow these high school teachers and students to interact with nanoscale systems and demonstrate associated basic concepts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.