Engineering DNA walkers for bioanalysis: A review

Yuchao Chen; Xiangdan Meng; Huiting Lu; Haifeng Dong

doi:10.1016/j.aca.2021.339339

Engineering DNA walkers for bioanalysis: A review

Anal Chim Acta. 2022 May 29:1209:339339. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339339. Epub 2021 Dec 1.

Authors

Yuchao Chen¹, Xiangdan Meng², Huiting Lu³, Haifeng Dong⁴

Affiliations

¹ Research Center for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemical and Bioengineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China.
² Research Center for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemical and Bioengineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China. Electronic address: xiangdanmeng@ustb.edu.cn.
³ Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Bioengineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China. Electronic address: huitinglu@ustb.edu.cn.
⁴ Research Center for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemical and Bioengineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China; Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518071, China. Electronic address: hfdong@ustb.edu.cn.

PMID: 35569865
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339339

Abstract

Considerable advances have been made in the design, modularization, functionalization, and regulation of DNA nanostructures over the past 40 years. These advances have accelerated the development of DNA nanomachines such as DNA walkers, dynamic nanomachines with walking feet, tracks, and driven forces, which have highly sensitive detection and signal amplification abilities that can be applied to various bioanalytical contexts and therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe a rational design of the nano-bio interface, the kinetics of DNA walkers and the strategies for improving their efficiency and sensitivity. We also outline the various bioanalytic and imaging applications to which DNA walkers have been applied, such as electrochemical and optical measurements, when integrated with other simulation and activation tools. Finally, we compare the performances of novel DNA walker-based strategies for bioanalysis and propose a method to improve DNA walker design.

Keywords: Bioanalysis; DNA Walker; Signal amplification.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques* / methods
DNA / chemistry
Nanostructures*

Substances

DNA