Dynamic Time-Programming\nCircuit for Encoding Information,\nProgramming Dissipative Systems, and Delaying Release of Cargo

Living systems have some of the most sophisticated reaction\ncircuits\nin the world, realizing many incredibly complex functions through\na variety of simple molecular reactions, in which the most notable\nfeature that distinguishes them from artificial molecular reaction\nnetworks is the precise control of reaction times and programmable\nexpression. Here, we exploit the hydrolysis-directed nature of λ\nexonuclease and the programmed responses of the dynamic nanotechnology\nof nucleic acids to construct a simple, complete, and powerful set\nof temporally programmed circuits. This system can arbitrarily regulate\nthe degradation rate of the blocker, thereby delaying the nucleic\nacid chain substitution reaction with less signal leakage. In addition,\nthe powerful dynamic reaction network of nucleic acids enabled us\nto control the programmed execution of a wide range of reactions in\ndifferent fields. We have developed a simple strategy to introduce\nprecise control of the time dimension into nucleic acid reaction circuits,\nwhich greatly enriches the functionality and applicability of the\nreaction programs, which can be easily used as timers, compilers,\nconverters, etc. The simplicity, precision, stability, and versatility\nof such dynamic temporal programming circuits greatly expand the potential\nof artificial molecular reaction networks for more complex practical\napplications in biochemistry and molecular biology.