formation. Endonucleases of KpnI and StuI resulted in changes in plasmonic wavelength
values because of the cleavage of certain sequences in tsDNA. Through this, the developed
biologic gate performed an OR and XOR logic operation.
Willner’s group developed a biologic gate using GO and two types of DNA modified
with two different fluorescent materials, respectively [51]. The “AND” biologic gate was
initiated by hybridizing these two types of fluorescent modified DNA with com
plementary DNA (cDNA) and forming a loop structure. Due to the formation of the loop
structure, fluorescent modified DNA generated a strong fluorescence signal because of
detachment from the GO, which is capable of quenching the fluorescent signal. However,
in the presence of target DNA, which had a stronger binding affinity for the cDNA than
the fluorescent modified DNA, the fluorescent modified DNA was adsorbed on the GO
surface and the fluorescence signal was re-quenched. Using this reaction mechanism, a
biological operation was processed using different binding affinities between each single-
stranded DNA. Bi’s group developed a biologic gate composed of AuNP modified with
single-stranded DNA, dumbbell probe (DP), and duplex-specific nuclease (DSN) through
the conformational change of DP using different binding affinities between nucleic acids
and degradation by DSN [52]. In summary, the unique properties of nucleic acids in
cluding complimentary bonds between nucleic acids and differences in binding affinity
are suitable for implementing biologic functions and processing of complex functions on
the device by combining with functional nanomaterials.
17.5.3 Biotransistor
The performance of the computing system is closely related to transistor density. To
improve the integration level of the transistor, it is necessary to manufacture ultra-
compact transistors. To develop these transistors using biomaterials with nanomaterials,
Yin’s group manufactured a precise CNT transistor array using DNA as a template [53].
Here, the parallel CNT arrays with a uniform nanometer-sized spacing were constructed
by using DNA brick-based nanotrenches to align DNA-wrapped CNTs. For this, the
supramolecular assembly method was used to generate a scaffold composed of com
pacted DNA. In the fabricated scaffold, some part of the DNA was located on the surface
to hybridize with other DNA that was immobilized on the surface of the CNT. By placing
the CNT on the scaffold, the directionality of individual CNT was precisely controlled.
Moreover, by programming the DNA template differently, CNT was arrayed with uni
form spacing of 16.8, 12.6, and 10.4 nm using the electrostatic repulsion between DNA
and negatively charged CNT with high stability. In addition, this method enabled the
fabrication of millions of parallel CNT arrays at the same time, which demonstrated the
functionality of the biotransistor.
In addition, Kim’s group patterned the chemically modified graphene and bottom-up
self-assembly of DNA origami to develop a few nanometer-level DNA-based bio
transistors [54]. It was confirmed that a rectangular DNA origami structure with a size of
2 nm × 70 nm × 90 nm was deposited on patterned nitrogen-doped reduced GO (NrGO)
without folding or overlapping structures. The nucleic acid-based biotransistors have the
potential for developing biosensors by using the property of nucleic acids to hybridize
with aptamers or complementary sequences that selectively bind to target molecules [55].
For example, Han’s group developed a graphene-based FET for miRNA detection
(Figure 17.6c) [49]. In this study, the complementary sequence of the target miRNA was
located at the 3’ end of the probe DNA, and 10 adenine bases were designed at the 5’ end
for attachment to the graphene channel via π-π interactions. By investigating the shift of
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