A DNA Pyramid That Responds to CRISPR-Cas12a

Programmable control over the structural integrity of a tetrahedral DNA nanostructure is achieved using an external DNA stimulus.

• The DNA tetrahedra can be disassembled by a DNA or RNA invading strand.
• Activation of the Cas12a enzyme selectively digests the DNA invading strand without affecting RNA.
• This method enables the creation of highly responsive and programmable DNA architectures.
• Targeted activation of Cas12a by specific genomic regions of three bacterial pathogens demonstrates biologically relevant responsiveness.
• The presence of the genomic target allows observation of the DNA tetrahedra, while their absence leads to disassembly.

Simplified