DNA based molecular logic devices: a review of some ongoing work with multifluorophore FRET systems

The development of dynamic DNA nanostructures has opened the door to a wide variety of applications including sensing and information processing. DNA based molecular logic devices (MLDs) are DNA structures that have the ability to sense multiple inputs or “targets”, autonomously process the absence or presence of targets, and provide an output signal indicating the logic state of the system. As DNA is readily functionalized with fluorescent molecules, fluorophores can be strategically placed on MLDs so that the Förster resonance energy transfer efficiencies between the fluorophores are modulated when the DNA structure undergoes rearrangement. Consequently, the fluorescent signal of the dyes can be used as an output that provides the current logic state of the system. Although still in their elementary phase, MLDs have proved to be a promising modality for sensing multiple nanoscale targets, especially nucleic acids. Here, we review the development of multifluorophore MLDs and utilize examples from the literature and our own work to highlight their potential capabilities.