Ultraviolet and Visible Light‐Responsive RNA Photofluids

Abstract

Incorporating artificial molecular machines into soft matter offers a compelling strategy for engineering active materials with life-like behavior. Here, we report ultraviolet and visible light-responsive RNA photofluids formed via liquid-liquid phase separation of azobenzene-functionalized RNA nanomachines. These RNA photofluids can harness the molecular motions of RNA nanomachines to produce macroscopic cell-like behaviors under both ultraviolet and visible light irradiation. We show that the number of azobenzene moieties in the RNA nanomachines controls the deformation kinetics and critical transition temperatures between structural deformation and dissociation. The ultraviolet-visible RNA photofluids not only enable direct solar energy harvesting for light-powered soft robotics, but also expand the toolkit for developing advanced multi-responsive biomaterials and programmable artificial cells.