New DNA origami nanobots store energy and deliver molecular cargo

Researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Emory University, and Georgia Tech have developed a new class of autonomous nanorobots constructed from reconfigurable DNA origami arrays. These nanobots are composed of networks of connected, two-state DNA units that can be programmed to respond to environmental signals. Building on foundational work from Yonggang Ke’s lab, the team treated each DNA junction as an independent programmable unit capable of functions such as locking, time delays, signaling, and cargo release. This approach transforms the DNA arrays into a form of programmable hardware controlled by molecular “software.” A key innovation is the ability to preload these arrays with trigger DNA strands that store energy as molecular strain, enabling the nanobots to operate autonomously without continuous external energy input—akin to a nanoscale “wind-up car.” The nanoarrays contain dozens of interconnected “anti-junctions” that can communicate and execute complex cascades of signals and structural changes. Each junction can independently trigger signals or