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Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Light-Driven ATP Transmembrane Transport Controlled by DNA Nanomachines
Pei Li1,2, Ganhua Xie1, Pei Liu1,3
1CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Materials and Interfacial Science , Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190 , People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
In nature, biological machines can perform sophisticated and subtle functions to maintain the metabolism of organisms. Inspired from these gorgeous works of nature, scientists have developed various artificial molecular motors and machines. However, selective transport of biomolecules across membrane has remained a great challenge. Here, we establish an ATP transport system by assembling photocontrolled DNA nanomachines into the artificial nanochannels. With alternant light irradiation, these ATP transport lines can selectively shepherd cargoes across the polymer membrane. These findings point to new opportunities for manipulating and improving the mass transportation and separation with light-controlled biomolecular motors, and can be used for other molecules and ions transmembrane transport powered by light.
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