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Realizing mechanical frustration at the nanoscale using DNA origami

Author

Listed:
  • Anirudh S. Madhvacharyula

    (Purdue University)

  • Ruixin Li

    (Purdue University)

  • Alexander A. Swett

    (Purdue University)

  • Yancheng Du

    (Purdue University)

  • Seongmin Seo

    (Purdue University)

  • Friedrich C. Simmel

    (Technical University of Munich)

  • Jong Hyun Choi

    (Purdue University)

Abstract

Structural designs inspired by physical and biological systems have been previously utilized to develop mechanical metamaterials with enhanced properties based on clever geometric arrangement of constituent building blocks. Here, we use the DNA origami method to realize a nanoscale metastructure exhibiting mechanical frustration, a counterpart of the well-known phenomenon of magnetic frustration. By selectively actuating reconfigurable struts, it adopts either frustrated or non-frustrated states, each characterized by distinct free energy profiles. While the non-frustrated state distributes the strain homogeneously, the frustrated mode concentrates it at a specific location. Molecular dynamics simulations reconcile the contrasting behaviors and provide insights into underlying mechanics. We explore the design space further by tailoring responses through structural modifications. Our work combines programmable DNA self-assembly with mechanical design principles to overcome engineering limitations encountered at the macroscale to design dynamic, deformable nanostructures with potential applications in elastic energy storage, nanomechanical computation, and allosteric mechanisms in DNA-based nanomachinery.

Suggested Citation

  • Anirudh S. Madhvacharyula & Ruixin Li & Alexander A. Swett & Yancheng Du & Seongmin Seo & Friedrich C. Simmel & Jong Hyun Choi, 2025. "Realizing mechanical frustration at the nanoscale using DNA origami," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60492-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60492-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jae Young Lee & Yanggyun Kim & Do-Nyun Kim, 2024. "Predicting the effect of binding molecules on the shape and mechanical properties of structured DNA assemblies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Lei Wu & Damiano Pasini, 2024. "Zero modes activation to reconcile floppiness, rigidity, and multistability into an all-in-one class of reprogrammable metamaterials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. N. J. Carter & R. A. Cross, 2005. "Mechanics of the kinesin step," Nature, Nature, vol. 435(7040), pages 308-312, May.
    4. Wen Wang & Silian Chen & Byoungkwon An & Kai Huang & Tanxi Bai & Mengyuan Xu & Gaëtan Bellot & Yonggang Ke & Ye Xiang & Bryan Wei, 2019. "Complex wireframe DNA nanostructures from simple building blocks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
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