Autonomous multistep organic synthesis in a single isothermal solution mediated by a DNA walker

• Published in: Nature nanotechnology Vol. 5; no. 11; pp. 778 - 782
• Main Authors: He, Yu, Liu, David R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.11.2010
• Subjects: 631/92/60; 639/638/403; 639/925/350; 639/925/927/339; Base Sequence; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry, Organic - methods; DNA - chemical synthesis; DNA - chemistry; Hybridization, Genetic; letter; Mass Spectrometry; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology - methods; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Solutions; Templates, Genetic
• ISSN: 1748-3387; 1748-3395; 1748-3395
• DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2010.190

Multistep synthesis in the laboratory typically requires numerous reaction vessels, each containing a different set of reactants. In contrast, cells are capable of performing highly efficient and selective multistep biosynthesis under mild conditions with all reactants simultaneously present in solution 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . If the latter approach could be applied in the laboratory, it could improve the ease, speed and efficiency of multistep reaction sequences. Here, we show that a DNA mechanical device—a DNA walker moving along a DNA track—can be used to perform a series of amine acylation reactions in a single solution without any external intervention. The products of these reactions are programmed by the sequence of the DNA track, but they are not related to the structure of DNA. Moreover, they are formed with speeds and overall yields that are significantly greater than those previously achieved by multistep DNA-templated small-molecule synthesis. A DNA walker moving along a DNA track can perform the multistep synthesis of an oligoamide in a single solution without any external intervention.