Controlling DNA nanodevices with light-switchable buffers.
Valentin Jean PérillatErica Del GrossoCesare BertonFrancesco RicciCristian PezzatoPublished in: Chemical communications (Cambridge, England) (2023)
Control over synthetic DNA-based nanodevices can be achieved with a variety of physical and chemical stimuli. Actuation with light, however, is as advantageous as difficult to implement without modifying DNA strands with photo-switchable groups. Herein, we show that DNA nanodevices can be controlled using visible light in photo-switchable aqueous buffer solutions in a reversible and highly programmable fashion. The strategy presented here is non-invasive and allows the remote control with visible light of complex operations of DNA-based nanodevices such as the reversible release/loading of cargo molecules.