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Designing a Bio-responsive Robot from DNA Origami
Published on: July 8, 2013
Control of a multisubunit DNA motor by a thermoresponsive polymer switch
Sivanand S Pennadam1, Matthieu D Lavigne, Christina F Dutta
1School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
The conjugation of thermoresponsive polymers to multisubunit, multifunctional hybrid type 1 DNA restriction-modification (R-M) enzymes enables temperature-controlled "switching" of DNA methylation by the conjugate. Polymers attached to the enzyme at a subunit distal to the methylation subunit allow retention of DNA recognition and ATPase activity while controlling methylation of plasmid DNA. This regulation of enzyme activity arises from the coil-globule phase transitions of the polymer as shown in light scattering and gel retardation assays.
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