(186h) DNA Reaction-Diffusion Attractor Patterns

Living systems possess the ability to form and recover complex patterns in prescribed locations at length scales of hundreds of microns. In this study, we use oligonucleotide reaction networks, and leverage digital maskless photolithography and microfluidic delivery methods to program the shape of biomolecular attractor patterns in photopatterned poly(ethylene-glycol) diacrylate hydrogels. Linear and ‘hill’-shaped DNA-based patterns formed and stabilized in 4 and 9 hours respectively. When patterns were perturbed in particular locations with varying dosages of UV light, they reformed their equilibrium profile over times ranging from 1 to 10 hours.