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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Plasmid-derived DNA Strand Displacement Gates for Implementing Chemical Reaction Networks
Published on: November 25, 2015
Biomolecule-based switching devices that respond inversely to thermal stimuli
Ryu Tashiro1, Hiroshi Sugiyama
1Division of Biofunctional Molecules, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Surugadai, Kanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
Abstract:
We demonstrate a molecular switch, on the basis of the characteristic properties of DNA and RNA, which indicates a completely inverted response to thermal stimuli using the transition between right- and left-handed helices. We designed a system using aminopurine (Ap), which can convert the pi-stack information of the transition from right-handed to left-handed DNA (B-Z transition) and RNA (A-Z transition) into an output giving a fluorescent signal. These two biomolecular devices together serve as "right-left" or "off-on" switches. When the temperature is changed from low to high, the RNA device changes from the off to on signal; however, the DNA device changes from on to off. The response of these RNA and DNA based devices against thermal stimulus was completely reversible.
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