Propelling DNA Computing with Materials' Power: Recent Advancements in Innovative DNA Logic Computing Systems and Smart Bio-Applications.

DNA computing is recognized as one of the most outstanding candidates of next-generation molecular computers that perform Boolean logic using DNAs as basic elements. Benefiting from DNAs' inherent merits of low-cost, easy-synthesis, excellent biocompatibility, and high programmability, DNA computing has evoked substantial interests and gained burgeoning advancements in recent decades, and also exhibited amazing magic in smart bio-applications. In this review, recent achievements of DNA logic computing systems using multifarious materials as building blocks are summarized.

Redox Activation of a Polyaniline-Coated Cantilever: An Electro-Driven Microdevice.

Bent by oxidation! A polyaniline (PAn, blue) coated cantilever acts as an electro-driven microdevice. Reversible oxidation/reduction of the PAn results in reversible deflection of the cantilever originating from the electrostatic repulsion of the charged polymer chains of PAn (green).

Electronic Transduction of Polymerase or Reverse Transcriptase Induced Replication Processes on Surfaces: Highly Sensitive and Specific Detection of Viral Genomes.

Replication, precipitation, and amplification: Polymerase or reverse transcriptase induced replication of DNA/RNA on a transducer (electrode or piezoelectric crystal) leads to the ultrasensitive specific electronic transduction of viral genomes. Biotin tags (B) on the double-stranded assembly provide docking sites for a conjugate between avidin (A) and an alkaline phosphatase (AP). Enzyme biocatalysis of substrate (S) to the insoluble product (P), which precipitates onto the transducer (yellow surface), provides amplification in the analysis of the target DNA.

Integration of Layered Redox Proteins and Conductive Supports for Bioelectronic Applications.

Integration of redox enzymes with an electrode support and formation of an electrical contact between the biocatalysts and the electrode is the fundamental subject of bioelectronics and optobioelectronics. This review addresses the recent advances and the scientific progress in electrically contacted, layered enzyme electrodes, and discusses the future applications of the systems in various bioelectronic devices, for example, amperometric biosensors, sensoric arrays, logic gates, and optical memories. This review presents the methods for the immobilization of redox enzymes on electrodes and discusses the covalent linkage of proteins, the use of supramolecular affinity complexes, and the reconstitution of apo-redox enzymes for the nanoengineering of electrodes with protein monolayers of electrodes with protein monolayers and multilayers.