DNA-nanoparticle motors are exactly as they sound: tiny artificial motors that use the structures of DNA and RNA to propel motion through enzymatic RNA degradation. Essentially, chemical energy is converted into mechanical motion by biasing the Brownian motion.

The DNA-nanoparticle motor uses the “burnt-bridge” Brownian ratchet mechanism. In this type of movement, the motor is propelled by the degradation (or “burning”) of the bonds (or “bridges”) it crosses along the substrate, essentially biasing its motion forward.

These nano-sized motors are highly programmable and can be designed for use in molecular computation, diagnostics, and transport.