“Our nanoturbine has a 25-nanometer diameter rotor made from DNA material with blades configured in a right-handed or left-handed sense to control the direction of rotation. To operate, this structure is docked in a strong water flow, controlled by an electric field or salt concentration difference, from a nanopore, a tiny opening, in a thin membrane. We used our turbine to drive a rigid rod up to 10 revolutions per second,” says Shi.
DNA origami nano-turbines, with rotation influenced by ion concentration, pave the way for advanced drug delivery and energy harnessing from salt gradients. Credit: Cees Dekker Lab / SciXelOne of the most intriguing discoveries of this research is the unique nature of the DNA origami nano-turbine’s rotation. Its behavior is influenced by ion concentration, allowing the same turbine to spin either clockwise or anticlockwise, depending on the concentration of Na+ ions in the solution.
Reflecting on the remarkable journey, Xin Shi underscores the significance of their progress: “We’ve unveiled the fundamental principles behind propelling a nanoscale rotor using water and salt in nanopores. This year’s breakthrough, driven by rational design, marks the next phase of our journey.
Reference: “A DNA turbine powered by a transmembrane potential across a nanopore” by Xin Shi, Anna-Katharina Pumm, Christopher Maffeo, Fabian Kohler, Elija Feigl, Wenxuan Zhao, Daniel Verschueren, Ramin Golestanian, Aleksei Aksimentiev, Hendrik Dietz and Cees Dekker, 26 October 2023,SciTechDaily: Home of the best science and technology news since 1998. Keep up with the latest scitech news via email or social media.
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