Our group is interested in various devices based on nucleic acids.  Some of our molecular devices behave as sensors (1), others release small molecules upon recognition (2), or behave as logic gates that perform Boolean calculations (3).  Mixtures of individual devices show aggregate behaviors: some mimic the mammalian olfactory system and fingerprint molecules in solution (4), others perform basic arithmetic operations (5) or simply play games perfectly (6).  The Searle Scholarship will allow us to move into a new area, and study how recognition by assemblies of nucleic acids can be used to achieve directed mechanical movement.  Specifically, we propose to construct “molecular spiders” which would move on recognition surfaces, and in this process irreversibly change the surface.  Over time, we hope to learn how to trigger and direct the movement of spiders, with the eventual goal of constructing devices capable of autonomous nano-patterning (for applications in material sciences), building molecular machines able to solve simple mazes (“nanocybernetics”), and achieving insulin release by glucose responsive spiders (medical applications). 

Representative Publications:

1. Stojanovic M.N.; Kolpashchikov D.M. "Modular allosteric sensors" in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126: 9266-9270, 2004.

2. Stojanovic, M. N. & Landry D. W. “Aptamer-based Colorimetric Sensor for Cocaine” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124, 9679-9680, (2002).

3. Stojanovic, M. N.; Mitchell, T. E. & Stefanovic, D. “Deoxyribozyme-based Logic Gates” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124, 3555-3561, (2002).

4. Stojanovic, M. N., Green, E. G., Semova, S., Nikic, D. B. & Landry, D. W. “Cross-reactive Arrays Based on Three-Way Junctions” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 11547-11548, (2003).

5. Stojanovic, M. N. & Stefanovic, D. “Deoxyribozyme-Based Half-Adder” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 6673-6676, (2003).

6. Stojanovic, M. N. & Stefanovic, D. "Deoxyribozyme-based automaton" in Nature Biotech. 21: 1069-1074, 2003.