Project

Our project aims to make DNA hydrogels that work as a DNA AND gate. In other words, we aim to make DNA hydrogels that do not collapse when recognizing the presence of a certain input DNA strand, but trigger gel-sol transition when multiple input DNA strands with certain DNA patterns exist.

　 　

Specifically, it goes like the following figures. When adding only DNA strand A (stA) or DNA strand B (stB), the DNA hydrogel does not collapse and remains as gel. However, when adding both stA and stB, it collapses and transitions from gel to sol. The same is true if we replace stA and stB with DNA strand C (stC) and DNA strand D (stD). In other words, when adding either stC or stD, the DNA hydrogel remains as gel and when adding both stC and stD, it transitions from gel to sol.

　 　

If we symbolize adding a DNA strand as 1, not adding it as 0, and as for the state of DNA hydrogels, remaining gel as 0, transitioning from gel to sol as 1, we can say that we have achieved our project to make DNA hydrogels that work as a DNA AND gate. Furthermore, if we connect the DNA AND gate for stA and stB and the DNA AND gate for stC and stD with DNA OR gate ―a logic gate that outputs 1 if one of the inputs is 1, we assume that experimental results follow the calculation results.