Stimuli-responsive
DNA-based hydrogels are attracting growing interest
because of their smart responsiveness, excellent biocompatibility,
regulated biodegradability, and programmable design properties. Integration
of reconfigurable DNA architectures and switchable supramolecular
moieties (as cross-linkers) in hydrogels by responding to external
stimuli provides an ideal approach for the reversible tuning structural
and mechanical properties of the hydrogels, which can be exploited
in the development of intelligent DNA-based materials. This review
highlights recent advances in the design of responsive pure DNA hydrogels,
DNA–polymer hybrid hydrogels, and autonomous DNA-based hydrogels
with transient behaviors. A variety of chemically and physically triggered
DNA-based stimuli-responsive hydrogels and their versatile applications
in biosensing, biocatalysis, cell culture and separation, drug delivery,
shape memory, self-healing, and robotic actuators are summarized.
Finally, we address the key challenges that the field will face in
the coming years, and future prospects are identified.