Dynamic DNA Circuits for Biomedical Applications

Dynamic DNA circuits and networks provide innovative functional frameworks for biomedical applications. Three topics involving dynamic DNA circuits for silencing target mRNA, modulating protein activities, and guiding cell–cell interactions for targeted therapy are exemplified through recent advances that apply synthetic biology and DNA nanotechnology to the development of the field. Dynamic DNA circuits silencing intracellular target mRNAs leading to cancer cell apoptosis; enzyme-free DNA circuits for miRNA-triggered amplified evolution of siRNAs for multimodal gene silencing; and construction of functional DNA tetrahedra for miRNA-triggered intracellular evolution of dynamic networks for gene therapy are presented. Dynamic DNA circuits controlling protein activities are exemplified by the assembly of constitutional dynamic networks for the temporal transient programmable control of fibrinogenesis and by the design of dynamic DNA circuits signaling cell apoptosis. In addition, the design of dynamic DNA circuits interconnecting cells provides a versatile approach for programmable dictated immunotherapy.