Modulating Lipid Membrane Morphology by Dynamic DNA Origami Networks

Membrane morphology and its dynamic adaptation regulatemany cellularfunctions, which are often mediated by membrane proteins. Advancesin DNA nanotechnology have enabled the realization of various protein-inspiredstructures and functions with precise control at the nanometer level,suggesting a viable tool to artificially engineer membrane morphology.In this work, we demonstrate a DNA origami cross (DOC) structure thatcan be anchored onto giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and subsequentlypolymerized into micrometer-scale reconfigurable one-dimensional (1D)chains or two-dimensional (2D) lattices. Such DNA origami-based networkscan be switched between left-handed (LH) and right-handed (RH) conformationsby DNA fuels and exhibit potent efficacy in remodeling the membranecurvatures of GUVs. This work sheds light on designing hierarchicallyassembled dynamic DNA systems for the programmable modulation of syntheticcells for useful applications.