DNA aptamers have potential for disease diagnosis and as therapeutics, particularly when interfaced with programmable molecular technology. Here we have combined DNA aptamers specific for the malaria biomarker Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) with a DNA origami scaffold. Twelve aptamers that recognise PfLDH were integrated into a rectangular DNA origami and atomic force microscopy demonstrated that the incorporated aptamers preserve their ability to specifically bind target protein. Captured PfLDH retained enzymatic activity and protein-aptamer binding was observed dynamically using high-speed AFM. This work demonstrates the ability of DNA aptamers to recognise a malaria biomarker whilst being integrated within a supramolecular DNA scaffold, opening new possibilities for malaria diagnostic approaches based on DNA nanotechnology.

Development of protein cages for encapsulation of active enzyme cargoes and their subsequent arrangement into a controllable three-dimensional array is highly desirable. However, cargo capture is typically challenging because of difficulties in achieving reversible assembly/disassembly of protein cages in mild conditions. Herein we show that by using an unusual ferritin cage protein that undergoes triggerable assembly under mild conditions, we can achieve reversible filling with protein cargoes including an active enzyme. We demonstrate that these filled cages can be arrayed in three-dimensional crystal lattices and have an additional chaperone-like effect, increasing both thermostability and enzymatic activity of the encapsulated enzyme.

Antimicrobial peptide transporter SbmA is an evolutionary link between ABC and proton-driven transporters.

DNA origami has emerged in recent years as a powerful technique for designing and building 2D and 3D nanostructures. While the breadth of structures that have been produced is impressive, one of the remaining challenges, especially for DNA origami structures that are intended to carry out useful biomedical tasks in vivo, is to endow them with the ability to detect and respond to molecules of interest. Target molecules may be disease indicators or cell surface receptors, and the responses may include conformational changes leading to the release of therapeutically relevant cargo. Nucleic acid aptamers are ideally suited to this task and are beginning to be used in DNA origami designs. In this review, we consider examples of uses of DNA aptamers in DNA origami structures and summarise what is currently understood regarding aptamer-origami integration. We review three major roles for aptamers in such applications: protein immobilisation, triggering of structural transformation, and cell targeting. Finally, we consider future perspectives for DNA aptamer integration with DNA origami.