Synthetic DNA-based nanoswimmers driven by enzyme catalysis

We report here DNA-based synthetic nanostructures decorated with enzymes (hereafter referred to as DNA enzyme nanoswimmers) that self-propel by converting the enzymatic substrate into the product in solution. The DNA enzyme nanoswimmers are obtained from tubular DNA structures that self-assemble spontaneously by hybridization of DNA tiles. We have functionalized these DNA structures with two different enzymes, urease and catalase, and show that upon addition of the enzymatic substrate (i.e., urea and H2O2), they exhibit concentration-dependent motion and different motion dynamics, including enhanced diffusion and ballistic motion. These results pave the way for the development of synthetic enzyme-driven nanoswimmers that can self-propel in fluids and have the potential to provide new insights into biological motion dynamics at the micro-nanoscale.