A Logic-Gated Nanorobot for Targeted Transport of Molecular Payloads

DNA aptamers are short strands that have high binding affinity for a target protein that can be used as triggers for releasing cargo from delivery vehicles. Douglas et al. (p. 831) used this strategy to design DNA origami “nanorobots”—complex shaped structures created by manipulating a long DNA strand through binding with shorter “staple” strands—that could deliver payloads such as gold nanoparticles or fluorescently labeled antibody fragments. These nanorobots were designed to open in response to specific cell-surface proteins, releasing molecules that triggered cell signaling.

We describe an autonomous DNA nanorobot capable of transporting molecular payloads to cells, sensing cell surface inputs for conditional, triggered activation, and reconfiguring its structure for payload delivery. The device can be loaded with a variety of materials in a highly organized fashion and is controlled by an aptamer-encoded logic gate, enabling it to respond to a wide array of cues. We implemented several different logical AND gates and demonstrate their efficacy in selective regulation of nanorobot function. As a proof of principle, nanorobots loaded with combinations of antibody fragments were used in two different types of cell-signaling stimulation in tissue culture. Our prototype could inspire new designs with different selectivities and biologically active payloads for cell-targeting tasks.