Logic devices based on nucleic acid self‐assembly

Abstract

Nucleic acids are natural macromolecules with the ability to store and transmit information based on the strict base-pairing principle. Beyond the natural nucleic acid double helixes, various DNA/RNA nanostructures with customized geometries and functionalities have been fabricated. Featured with programmability and sequence-dependent responsiveness, DNA/RNA nanostructures have been employed for the rational design and construction of logic devices. When stimulated by internal molecular triggers and/or external stimuli, these logic gate devices can operate at nanoscale level in complex biological environments, performing logic operations and producing corresponding outputs. In this minireview, we summarize the recent advances of nucleic acid logic devices, which are responsive to various stimuli, including DNA/RNA strands, metal ions, small molecules, peptides, proteins, photo-irradiation, pH changes, and so forth. The applications of these devices in biosensing and biofunction regulation are also included. In the last part of the present study, we discuss the remaining challenges and perspectives of nucleic acid logic devices.

Peptide-Based Sensing, Logic Computing, and Information Security on the Antimonene Platform

“…Living beings from micro to macro can universally communicate between individuals by dispersing special physiological molecules for foraging or courtship, which are benefited from the diversity, recognition, and information coding abilities of molecules . As a genetic information carrier, DNA with molecular recognition and structural diversity has been used to develop various sensing systems (such as aptamers and DNAzymes for sensing of metal ions, biomarkers, cancer cells, or pathogens), to design self-assembled functional materials (DNA origami and G-quadruplex nanowires), and to implement DNA computing (Boolean logic, molecular keypad lock, , multistep logic cascades, − fuzzy logic, neural networks) and information security applications (DNA cryptography or steganography − ). Compared with DNA with only four kinds of base combinations, peptides composed of more than 20 kinds of amino acid permutations also have a larger molecular structural diversity , and the same excellent recognition ability. − Thus, the variable amino acid composition of a peptide endows it with a variety of bioactivities (antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor), molecular recognition, and self-assembly capabilities, which provides opportunities for its use in sensing, − materials synthesis, , biomedicine (drug delivery and discovery), and simple information processing.…”

Pattern Recognition of microRNA Expression in Body Fluids Using Nanopore Decoding at Subfemtomolar Concentrations

“…After proposing this groundbreaking idea, extensive methods of DNA computation have been studied, including logic gates. 2 The logic operation has been one of the most attractive informational processes for DNA computation, given that logic operations are constructed by simple binary combinations of OR, NOT, and AND gates, for instance. This method allows higher-level calculations to be performed by combining a number of logic gates, with any logic gate capable of construction by combining multiple NAND (negative-AND) gates.…”

“…The power of DNA computing was first demonstrated in the early pioneering work of Adleman in 1994, in which he presented a method to solve the Hamiltonian path problema mathematical problem also known as the traveling salesman problem. After proposing this groundbreaking idea, extensive methods of DNA computation have been studied, including logic gates . The logic operation has been one of the most attractive informational processes for DNA computation, given that logic operations are constructed by simple binary combinations of OR, NOT, and AND gates, for instance.…”

Wavelength-Dependent, Orthogonal Photoregulation of DNA Liberation for Logic Operations

“…In the past decades, logic devices based on organic and inorganic molecules or molecular assemblies were widely introduced and studied. 5,6 Among different materials, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules have recently drawn much attention as outstanding components in the construction of molecular logic gates because of their unique predictability of base pairing, ease of chemical synthesis, parallel processing capabilities, excellent data storage capacity, and flexibility in design. 7,8 In particular, the unique information processing and storage capabilities of DNA not only are critical to life sciences but also signposts a promising direction for a new generation of manmade information and control nanotechnologies.…”