Sprecher
Beschreibung
The development of artificial nanomachines that mimic the functionality of biological membrane motors represents a frontier in synthetic biology and nanotechnology. In this work, we present the design and construction of a dual-component DNA-based transmembrane nanomotor—engineered through scaffolded DNA origami— inspired by the rotary mechanism of the FoF₁-ATP synthase. This nanomotor features a DNA nanopore as the stator and a twisted DNA structure as the rotor. The nanopore stator is designed for membrane insertion, enabling the nanomotor to operate in biocompatible membrane systems. The rotor couples to the hydrodynamic flow inside the DNA nanopore, converting the transmembrane potential gradient into mechanical torque. Salinity gradients or transmembrane voltage will power the assembled dual-component nanomotor, and the nanomotor’s performance will be characterised by tracking unidirectional rotation using high-speed single-molecule fluorescence microscopy.
This work establishes a new class of active, energy-consuming membrane DNA nanomachines. It will open avenues for the development of synthetic nanoscale systems with potential applications in targeted drug delivery and the construction of autonomous synthetic cells. By bridging the gap between passive sensing and active mechanical function, our DNA turbine represents a significant step toward programmable, membrane-integrated nanorobotics.
