Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a tiny robot made entirely from a single piece of DNA, which they call the NanoGripper. The NanoGripper, inspired by human hands and bird claws, can interact with biological entities on a very small scale.

The NanoGripper is designed like a hand with four fingers. Each finger has three joints, similar to a human finger, allowing it to bend in a controlled way due to the DNA’s design.

The researchers describe the NanoGripper in a paper published in Science Robotics.

The fingers of the NanoGripper have special areas called DNA aptamers that respond to specific markers like the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. When these aptamers meet the virus, they trigger the fingers to close around it, effectively “grabbing” the virus.

One application of the NanoGripper is in rapid virus detection. By working with a photonic crystal sensor, which uses light to detect very small changes, the NanoGripper can hold the virus in place while a fluorescent molecule lights up, signaling the virus’s presence. This makes for a very quick and sensitive test for COVID-19, taking only 30 minutes, similar in accuracy to the slower hospital tests.

Beyond detection, the NanoGripper has potential in preventing infections. When added to cells exposed to the virus, these NanoGrippers can surround the virus, preventing its spikes from attaching to and infecting cells. This could lead to innovations like anti-viral nasal sprays where NanoGrippers could block viruses at the entry point in the nose.

Programmable DNA nanobots

Looking ahead, the NanoGripper could be tweaked to target other viruses or even cancer cells. By programming the fingers to recognize different markers, these NanoGrippers could deliver drugs directly to cancer cells or other targeted treatments.

This technology showcases how DNA, with its programmable nature, can be used to create tools that operate at the nanoscale for both medical diagnostics and treatment.

“We wanted to make a soft material, nanoscale robot with grabbing functions that never have been seen before, to interact with cells, viruses and other molecules for biomedical applications,” says research leader Xing Wang in a press release. “We are using DNA for its structural properties. It is strong, flexible and programmable.

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