%0 Generic %A van Galen, Martijn %A Bok, Annemarie %A Peshkovsky, Taieesa %A van der Gucht, Jasper %A Albada, Bauke %A Sprakel, Joris %D 2024 %T Dataset underlying publication: De novo DNA-based catch bonds %U %R 10.4121/96e43d14-80a6-46e2-819c-9c627cedf10e.v2 %K Catch bonds %K Mechanochemistry %K DNA nanotechnology %K Rolling adhesion %K Supramolecular adhesion %X

All primary chemical interactions weaken under mechanical stress, which imposes fundamental mechanical limits on the materials constructed from them. Biological materials combine plasticity with strength, for which nature has evolved a unique solution: catch bonds, supramolecular interactions that strengthen under tension. Biological catch bonds use force-gated conformational switches to convert weak bonds into strong ones. To date, catch bonds remain exclusive to nature, leaving their potential as mechano-adaptive elements in synthetic systems untapped. Here, we report the design and realization of artificial catch bonds. Starting from a minimal set of thermodynamic design requirements, we created a molecular motif capable of catch bonding. It consists of a DNA duplex featuring a cryptic domain that unfolds under tension to strengthen the interaction. We show that these catch bonds recreate force-enhanced rolling adhesion, a hallmark feature of biological catch bonds in bacteria and leukocytes. This work introduces catch bonds into the synthetic domain.

%I 4TU.ResearchData