Dynamical cell-like molecular robots with programmability based on the control of DNA nanostructures on microinterface

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12521
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Life / Health / Medical informatics
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Takinoue Masahiro 東京工業大学, 情報理工学院, 准教授 (20511249)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ISHIKAWA Daisuke 首都大学東京, 大学院都市環境科学研究科, 特任助教 (00722919) ; KAWANO Ryuji 東京農工大学, 工学研究院, 特任准教授 (90401702) ; ENDO Masayuki 京都大学, 物質-細胞統合システム拠点, 准教授 (70335389)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 分子ロボット / 人工細胞 / DNAナノテクノロジー / DNAオリガミ / マイクロ油中水滴 / マイクロ流体デバイス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we studied the construction of cell-like molecular robots. The molecular robots were made of DNA nanostructures produced by bottom-up assembly of designed DNA, and the molecular robots were produced on an oil-water interface controlled by microfluidic technology. Here, the function was constructed with designed nanometer-sized DNA, which was usually generated by DNA origami technology. The DNA nanodevices were functionalized into amphiphilic molecules and were self-assembled on the oil-water interface of microdroplets. Finally, we developed some basic methods to programmably construct dynamical molecular robot with functions such as molecular sensing, self-propelled motions, etc.

Free Research Field

生物物理学，分子ロボティクス，DNAナノテクノロジー，マイクロ流体工学