Using DNA to Construct and Power a Nanoactuator

A DNA-based molecular machine is described which has two movable arms that can be pushed apart when a strand of DNA, referred to as the fuel strand, hybridized with a single- stranded region of the molecular machine. Through the process of branch migration a second strand of DNA complementary to the fuel strand is able to remove the fuel strand from the molecular machine, restoring it to its original configuration. Compared with the molecular tweezers we had previously devised, this machine, which we call a nanoactuator, has a reduced tendency to form dimmers on application of the fuel strand.