Triggered contraction of self-assembled micron-scale DNA nanotube rings

Maja Illig, Kevin Jahnke, Lukas P. Weise, Marlene Scheffold, Ulrike Mersdorf, Hauke Drechsler, Yixin Zhang, Stefan Diez (), Jan Kierfeld () and Kerstin Göpfrich ()
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Maja Illig: Heidelberg University
Kevin Jahnke: Biophysical Engineering Group
Lukas P. Weise: TU Dortmund University, Department of Physics
Marlene Scheffold: Biophysical Engineering Group
Ulrike Mersdorf: Biophysical Engineering Group
Hauke Drechsler: Technische Universität Dresden
Yixin Zhang: Technische Universität Dresden
Stefan Diez: Technische Universität Dresden
Jan Kierfeld: TU Dortmund University, Department of Physics
Kerstin Göpfrich: Heidelberg University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Contractile rings are formed from cytoskeletal filaments during cell division. Ring formation is induced by specific crosslinkers, while contraction is typically associated with motor protein activity. Here, we engineer DNA nanotubes and peptide-functionalized starPEG constructs as synthetic crosslinkers to mimic this process. The crosslinker induces bundling of ten to hundred DNA nanotubes into closed micron-scale rings in a one-pot self-assembly process yielding several thousand rings per microliter. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce the detailed architectural properties of the DNA rings observed in electron microscopy. Theory and simulations predict DNA ring contraction – without motor proteins – providing mechanistic insights into the parameter space relevant for efficient nanotube sliding. In agreement between simulation and experiment, we obtain ring contraction to less than half of the initial ring diameter. DNA-based contractile rings hold promise for an artificial division machinery or contractile muscle-like materials.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46339-z

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