Nanorobots Capable of Folding DNA can Replicate Indefinitely

Researchers have showcased a programmable nanoscale robot constructed from a few DNA strands, which can capture other DNA fragments and assemble them to produce new UV-welded nanomachines, including duplicates of itself.

In fact, the nanorobots, as reported by New Scientist, are constructed using only four DNA strands and have dimensions of approximately 100 nanometers, allowing about a thousand of them to align in a line equivalent to the width of a human hair.

Advancements in Programmable DNA Nanorobots

However, the research team, comprising members from New York University, the Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomechanical Engineering, and The Chinese Academy of Sciences, asserts that the newly developed robots outperform previous attempts, which could only assemble components into two-dimensional shapes. The enhanced bots demonstrate the capability of “multiple-axis precise folding and positioning” to navigate the third dimension and additional degrees of freedom.

These nanobots are often seen as potential tools for manufacturing drugs, enzymes, and other chemicals, possibly within the cells of the body. Notably, the researchers emphasize that these machines can “self-replicate their entire 3D structure and functions.”

While being “programmable,” the robots are not completely self-contained; their actions respond to externally controlled temperature and UV light. Additionally, they depend on UV light to effectively “weld” the pieces of DNA they are assembling together.

Limiting Factors in DNA Nanorobots

In fact, a critical limitation preventing the scenario of a Gray Goo apocalypse is that these nanorobots cannot replicate themselves or produce anything else without a sufficient supply of the specific DNA snippets required.

Nevertheless, it remains remarkable and offers a glimpse into the rapidly advancing possibilities. Is this akin to the experience of living through the Singularity?

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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