Programmable DNA Nanowire Coatings Enable Geometry-Induced Interfacial Control of Bacterial Motility

Abstract

Bacterial motility is an emergent property of dynamic cell–interface interactions, yet the programmable interfacial states governing this behavior remain poorly understood. Here, we engineer bacterial interfaces using DNA nanowire coatings with distinct structural architectures and tunable surface coverage. Two structurally distinct DNA nanowires generate common motility enhancement together with density- and architecture-dependent divergence. Multiscale interfacial characterization further demonstrates that these distinct motility behaviors are associated with geometry-induced interfacial remodeling, identifying programmable interfacial states as the mechanistic intermediary between nanoscale structural design and bacterial motility. These findings establish nanowire geometry as a programmable design parameter for engineering bacterial interfacial states that govern cell–surface interactions and cellular dynamics.