title: Operation of a DNA robot arm inserted into a 2D DNA crystalline substrate.
abstract: The success of nanorobotics requires the precise placement and subsequent operation of specific nanomechanical devices at particular locations. The structural programmability of DNA makes it a particularly attractive system for nanorobotics. We have developed a cassette that enables the placement of a robust, sequence-dependent DNA robot arm within a two-dimensional (2D) crystalline DNA array. The cassette contains the device, an attachment site, and a reporter of state. We used atomic force microscopy to demonstrate that the rotary device is fully functional after insertion. Thus, a nanomechanical device can operate within a fixed frame of reference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
authors.forename: Baoquan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Nadrian C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Seeman
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D049329:Nanostructures; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012371:Robotics
chemical_list: D004247:DNA