Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026

Plasmid-derived DNA Strand Displacement Gates for Implementing Chemical Reaction Networks
Published on: November 25, 2015
Boolean logic-gated protein presentation through autonomously compiled molecular topology
Ryan Gharios1, Murial L Ross2, Annabella Li1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Abstract:
Stimulus-responsive materials have enabled advanced applications in biosensing, tissue engineering and therapeutic delivery. Although controlled molecular topology has been demonstrated as an effective route toward creating materials that respond to prespecified input combinations, prior efforts suffer from a reliance on complicated and low-yielding multistep organic syntheses that dramatically limit their utility. Harnessing the power of recombinant expression, we integrate emerging chemical biology tools to create topologically specified protein cargos that can be site-specifically tethered to and conditionally released from biomaterials following user-programmable Boolean logic. Critically, construct topology is autonomously compiled during expression through spontaneous intramolecular ligations, enabling direct and scalable synthesis of advanced operators. Using this framework, we specify protein release from biomaterials following all 17 possible YES/OR/AND logic outputs from input combinations of three orthogonal protease actuators, multiplexed delivery of three distinct biomacromolecules from hydrogels, five-input-based conditional cargo liberation and logically defined protein localization on or within living mammalian cells.
Related Concept Videos
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
Assembly of Signaling Complexes
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order...
Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts

