Development of a construction methodology for DNA nanomachines that operate in the real world

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12216
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 62010:Life, health and medical informatics-related
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (2021-2023); Tokyo Institute of Technology (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Komiya Ken 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 超先鋭研究開発部門(超先鋭研究開発プログラム), 研究員 (20396790)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: DNAコンピューティング / DNAナノマシン / 分子ロボティクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Compared to the design of nanostructures, the design of nanomachines needs to take into account the efficiency of structural changes. In this study, we developed a methodology to construct artificial nanomachines that work by multi-step nanostructural changes, using a combination of model simulation and experimental investigation. It was found that the side reaction known in the targeted enzymatic reaction, which were inevitable with the common optimization of reaction conditions, could be suppressed by introducing artificial nucleic acids. In addition, DNA nanomachines that perform information processing through multi-step extension reactions were successfully made to work efficiently under the desired temperature conditions. These results were presented at conferences and published as papers.

Free Research Field

DNAコンピューティング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来の反応条件の最適化では抑制できない酵素反応の副反応を、人工核酸の導入によって抑制する効果の発見は、本研究課題で構築するDNAナノマシンのみならず、DNAポリメラーゼを用いて一本鎖DNAを合成する反応系に広く適用できる有用な知見であり、核酸検査から材料調整まで多くの分野で活用が期待される。また、情報処理を実行するDNAナノマシンによる多段階動作の達成は、分子反応で情報を処理する実用レベルの反応系を創製するための基盤となる成果である。