title: A DNA-based molecular motor that can navigate a network of tracks.
abstract: Synthetic molecular motors can be fuelled by the hydrolysis or hybridization of DNA. Such motors can move autonomously and programmably, and long-range transport has been observed on linear tracks. It has also been shown that DNA systems can compute. Here, we report a synthetic DNA-based system that integrates long-range transport and information processing. We show that the path of a motor through a network of tracks containing four possible routes can be programmed using instructions that are added externally or carried by the motor itself. When external control is used we find that 87% of the motors follow the correct path, and when internal control is used 71% of the motors follow the correct path. Programmable motion will allow the development of computing networks, molecular systems that can sort and process cargoes according to instructions that they carry, and assembly lines that can be reconfigured dynamically in response to changing demands.
authors.affiliation: University of Oxford, Department of Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford                 OX1 3PU, UK.
authors.forename: Shelley F J
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Wickham
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bath
authors.forename: Yousuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsuda
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Kumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hidaka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Turberfield
mesh_terms: D039301:Computers, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D004247:DNA