In a non-equilibrium environment, molecular machines can undergo a directed flow through configurational changes, a feature that is widely exploited in processes characteristic of life. The use of such a flow to enhance the specificity of molecular recognition beyond equilibrium conditions has now been demonstrated in a minimal, synthetic, DNA-based system.
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Acknowledgements
This research is supported by European Research Council (ERC) research grant agreement no. 851910. R.M. is supported by the ERC under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (grant agreement no. 851910).
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Ouldridge, T.E., Mukherjee, R. Setting a direction for molecular recognition. Nat. Nanotechnol. 20, 1359–1360 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-01997-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-01997-y
