Hurry up! Today is the deadline to submit an abstract for the next Functional DNA Nanotechnology workshop #FDN2025, Rome 15-17 October 2025! Co-organized with Tim Liedl (@CeNS_LMU) and Fritz Simmel.

Finally, big congrats to our PhD student Francesca Miceli for her first first-author paper and to all the coauthors (@Simona_Ranallo, @BracagliaSara, @SorrentinoDa, @alessan_porch).

The name of the assay is an homage to one of the best examples of CRISPR-based sensors (SHERLOCK,.@Sherlock_Bio) developed by @zhangf, Collins + colleagues. While SHERLOCK detects DNA/RNA strands, MAIGRET enables the detection of proteins, antibodies and other molecules. 5/n.

We have used MAIGRET for the detection of six different antibodies with high sensitivity (detection limit in the picomolar range) and specificity (no signal from non-target antibodies). MAIGRET can also be adapted for a competitive approach to detect specific antigens. 4/n.

In the second step, this transcribed guide RNA activates the DNA collateral activity of the Cas12 enzyme, leading to the cleavage of a fluorophore/quencher labelled reporter and thus to an increase in the fluorescence signal. 3/n

MAIGRET (Molecular Assay based on antibody-Induced Guide-RNA Enzymatic Transcription) works in two steps. In the first step, a reactive synthetic DNA template triggers the cell-free in vitro transcription of a guide RNA strand upon recognition of a specific target antibody. 2/n

The paper describing our MAIGRET (Molecular Assay based on antibody-Induced Guide-RNA Enzymatic Transcription) system is finally out in @NAR_Open! @ERC_Research, @AIRC_it 1/n.

RT @VeliaSiciliano: *ALERT*.If you are a bioengineer (or related), if you use synthetic biology for health-related applications, and you wi….

RT @J_A_C_S: Covalent Dynamic DNA Networks to Translate Multiple Inputs into Programmable Outputs | Journal of the American Chemical Societ….

By coupling the specificity of DNA-DNA interactions with the promiscuity of covalent bond formation we achieved an information processing network that shows dense connections while keeping the specificity needed for high-fidelity information processing. Stay tuned for more! 8/n.

Thanks to the programmability and specificity of DNA–DNA interactions, we can control the yield of different dimer outputs with different inputs in the same network. And we can use the up-regulated outputs to control the assembly and disassembly of DNA nanostructures. 7/n

Now, if we add DNA input strands that sequester DNA monomers from the reaction network we can control the size of the network itself and thus up-regulate the yield of specific DNA dimer outputs in a predictable manner! 6/n

The network size (n of monomers) dictate the yield of each dimer. If we increase the number of monomers in solution the yield of a specific dimer will decrease accordingly. 5/n

We designed synthetic DNA-based dimerization networks that consist of DNA oligonucleotide monomers modified with reactive moieties (here thiols) that can covalently bond with each other to form dimer outputs in an all-to-all way. 4/n

To solve this, we looked at naturally occurring protein dimerization networks, in which a set of proteins interact with each other to achieve highly complex input-output behaviour. The @ElowitzLab has done wonderful works on this (worth reading!) 3/n.

Synthetic DNA is perfect for creating molecular networks. Great examples come from the groups of @WaltherLab, @tfadgreef, Willner, Simmel, @FrancoLabUCLA etc. BUT, the specificity of DNA-DNA interaction can prevent building networks with high degrees of connectivity. 2/n.

Our latest work out in @J_A_C_S! We report DNA networks that translate multiple inputs into programmable outputs. Great work by our PhD @SimoneBrannetti and by @erica_delgrosso. Only possible with the help of systems chemistry Master @OttoLab! short 🧵…

RT @Simona_Ranallo: 🚨WE ARE HIRING!!!🚨. Interested in #DNANanotech & #SyntheticBiology? Within our 🚀@ERC_Research Stg “CO-TRANS-NET” we loo….

RT @J_A_C_S: Enzyme-Responsive DNA Condensates | Journal of the American Chemical Society @UTORV @Cambridge_Uni @ImperialSci @imperialcolle….

The project was a huge experimental effort by @BucciJuliette (now at Cambridge as a post-doc) and all the co-authors: @group_laser @FaragNada_ @L_Malouf @dianatanasedt @rogerrubio @erica_delgrosso @SerenaGenti and Jacob Lamb! Thank you all so much!!.