biostudies-literatureDel Grosso EAssociazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul CancroDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftEuropean Research CouncilH2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actionse202201929https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9324813biostudies-literatureUnknown61(23)Here we show a general approach to achieve dissipative control over toehold-mediated strand-displacement, the most widely employed reaction in the field of DNA nanotechnology. The approach relies on rationally re-engineering the classic strand displacement reaction such that the high-energy invader strand (fuel) is converted into a low-energy waste product through an energy-dissipating reaction allowing the spontaneous return to the original state over time. We show that such dissipative control over the toehold-mediated strand displacement process is reversible (up to 10 cycles), highly controllable and enables unique temporal activation of DNA systems. We show here two possible applications of this strategy: the transient labelling of DNA structures and the additional temporal control of cascade reactions.Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)Dissipative Control over the Toehold-Mediated DNA Strand Displacement Reaction.PMC9324813SE 1646/9-181916089696221965Seidel RIrmisch PRicci FPrins LJDel Grosso EGentile SfalseDissipative Control over the Toehold-Mediated DNA Strand Displacement Reaction.Here we show a general approach to achieve dissipative control over toehold-mediated strand-displacement, the most widely employed reaction in the field of DNA nanotechnology. The approach relies on rationally re-engineering the classic strand displacement reaction such that the high-energy invader strand (fuel) is converted into a low-energy waste product through an energy-dissipating reaction allowing the spontaneous return to the original state over time. We show that such dissipative control over the toehold-mediated strand displacement process is reversible (up to 10 cycles), highly controllable and enables unique temporal activation of DNA systems. We show here two possible applications of this strategy: the transient labelling of DNA structures and the additional temporal control of cascade reactions.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jun2025-04-18T15:36:45.367Z2025-04-07T02:20:18.978ZS-EPMC93248133531556810.1002/anie.202201929