ALT a, A three-dimensional origami has a head part with a cavity that physically hides six peptide ligands conjugated to DNA strands. b, Illustration of the mechanism of how a peptide ligand hides inside the head cavity via the entropic spring imparted by the random coiling of the TFO. c, When the pH drops, the TFO of the peptide–DNA conjugate forms a tsDNA that forces the six peptides that were originally hidden in the cavity to get displayed as a hexagonal pattern on the top surface of the origami. d, Close-ups of the tsDNA. Wang, Y., Baars, I., Berzina, I. et al. A DNA robotic switch with regulated autonomous display of cytotoxic ligand nanopatterns. Nat. Nanotechnol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-024-01676-4