AI Article Synopsis
- * Researchers created Olympic hydrogels by linking DNA rings using topoisomerase II, allowing these gels to easily switch between liquid and solid forms when powered by ATP.
- * This study introduces a flexible approach to designing materials that can change their structure, helping to explore how DNA shapes affect the behavior of chromosomes and similar polymer substances.
Article Abstract
Biological systems are equipped with a diverse repertoire of proteins that regulate DNA topology with precision that is beyond the reach of conventional polymer chemistry. Here, we harness the unique properties of topoisomerases to synthesize Olympic hydrogels formed by topologically interlinked DNA rings. Using dynamic light scattering microrheology to probe the viscoelasticity of DNA topological networks, we show that topoisomerase II enables the facile preparation of active, adenosine triphosphate-driven Olympic hydrogels that can be switched between liquid and solid states on demand. Our results provide a versatile system for engineering switchable topological materials that may be broadly leveraged to model the impact of topological constraints and active dynamics in the physics of chromosomes and other polymeric materials.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.148001 | DOI Listing |
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