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Antibody-controlled actuation of DNA-based molecular circuits
Wouter Engelen1, Lenny H H Meijer1, Bram Somers1
1Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Nature Communications
|February 18, 2017
Summary
Antibodies can now control DNA molecular circuits using a new method called antibody-templated strand exchange (ATSE). This innovation enables advanced signal processing for antibody-based diagnostics and synthetic biology applications.
Area of Science:
- Synthetic Biology
- Molecular Computing
- Biomedicine
Background:
- DNA-based molecular circuits offer autonomous signal processing capabilities.
- Current limitations exist due to reliance on RNA/DNA inputs, restricting broader applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a generic method for translating antibody presence into DNA strands for molecular computing.
- To enable antibodies as specific inputs for DNA-based circuits.
Main Methods:
- Introduced antibody-templated strand exchange (ATSE) utilizing antibody bivalency.
- Characterized ATSE kinetics and thermodynamics based on toehold length, antibody-epitope affinity, and concentration.
- Developed a comprehensive model for ATSE reaction dynamics.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated ATSE's ability to use antibodies as specific inputs for DNA circuits.
- Established a predictive model for ATSE reaction parameters.
- Successfully constructed molecular circuits for multiplex antibody detection and logic gate integration.
Conclusions:
- ATSE provides a versatile platform for antibody-driven molecular computation.
- This method enhances antibody-based diagnostics with complex signal processing capabilities.
- Enables enzyme and DNAzyme actuation for signal amplification in diagnostic assays.
