Speeding Up a Bidirectional DNA Walking Device

A strategy to speed up DNA walking devices through the use of DNA catalysts has been developed. The DNA walker is designed to move on a three-foothold molecular track with the assistance of fuel strands. The movement can be accelerated in the presence of catalysts. The motor could be halted at a desired location by a simple control, and the locomotion is about 1 order of magnitude faster than previous hybridization-based walker. Additionally, one branch of the walker can be designed to capture and transfer protein or some other inorganic molecules along the designed track with easy control, which makes our engineered DNA system more versatile.