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Abstract
The development of technologies for molecular transport mechanisms that function in micro-compartments such as liposomes, as well as methods for controlling their flow rate, is crucial for the advancement of molecular robotics. Generally, the flow rate of molecules through a pore structure depends on inner radius and length of pore. Thus far, the regulation mechanisms of molecular transport through tubular DNA nanostructures have primarily focused on the inner radius of pore. However, none of the studies have focused on altering both the inner radius and length simultaneously. In this study, we propose a dual-controlling mechanism for regulating the inner radius and length in tubular DNA nanostructures. We designed Kresling-Inspired Tubular DNA nanostructure(KIT-D), based on an origami technique known as Kresling folding. This technique is a pattern composed of multiple parallelograms, each connected along its edges to form a tubular shape. By folding each parallelogram along its diagonal, the structure can be compressed, reducing the inner radius and the length of the tube as it twists and closes. KIT-D is a DNA origami nanostructure that utilizes Kresling folding. Parallelogram-shaped units are connected to each other by single-strand DNA hinges. The transformation of KIT-D is regulated by DNA hybridization, in which the degree of opening is fixed with specific single-strand DNA signals. The dual-control mechanism allows for regulation of the material flow inside the tube through synchronous changes in both inner radius and length. By allowing for such detailed control over the flow rate, this mechanism opens up new possibilities for the design of molecular-level robotics and nanomachines. Ultimately, it is expected to enhance the efficiency and functionality of these systems by providing more versatile and accurate control over their operations.
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