Topologically Triggered Dynamic DNA Frameworks

Topologically triggered dynamic nucleic acid circuitries play important roles in diverse biological processes. Biomimetic frameworks emulating topologically triggered native circuitries is a challenging topic in the area of Systems Chemistry. Dynamically reconfigurable functions encoded in synthetically engineered nucleic acids provide means to design topologically-triggered dynamic DNA frameworks. This topic is addressed with three examples: (i) Integration of reconfigurable G-quadruplex barriers into polymerization or transcription templates leading to the switchable synthesis of a DNAzyme or of an RNA aptamer as models for native gene expression instability processes. (ii) Design of dynamic transient transcription and gated transcription machineries using an autoinhibition reaction module. (iii) Design of dynamic DNA reaction moduli leading to transient biocatalytic cascades, transient aggregation/deaggregation of semiconductor quantum dots or supramolecular Ag nanoclusters.