Dynamic DNA Nanomachines for Biomedicine: Concepts, Applications and Prospects

Dynamic DNA nanomachines are programmable devices capable of executing certain controlled movements, structural reconfigurations, and functional tasks. Over the past few decades, extensive advancements have been made in designing DNA-based molecular systems driven by strand displacement, catalytic reactions, enzymatic processes, chemical or physical stimuli. The development of DNA nanotechnology has further enabled the construction of highly precise and complex DNA nanomachines. Herein, we review dynamic DNA nanomachines from a motion-to-function perspective, emphasizing how programmable movement, structural reconfiguration, or autonomous operation can be converted into biomedical output. Structural platforms, driving mechanisms, biomedical functions, and translational barriers are discussed. Particularly, we focus on the systems in which DNA dynamics directly contribute to biosensing, bioimaging, therapeutic activation, cell regulation, and molecular decision-making. This framework distinguishes dynamic DNA nanomachines from static DNA nanostructures, which also highlights the design requirements needed to move these systems toward practical biomedical applications.