Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods including modular material controllers that combine amplification with logic, translation of input signals, and response tuning to directly and precisely program dramatic material size changes. In particular, the present disclosure provides locked gels having a polymer with a nucleic acid cross link and a nucleic acid lock in a locked conformation preventing the locked gel from reacting with other nucleic acid sequences and methods of unlocking the locked gels by adding a nucleic acid key to the locked gel or by changing an inactive nucleic acid key into an active nucleic acid key with a trigger.

Abstract: The present invention is of compositions and methods including modular material controllers that combine amplification with logic, translation of input signals, and response tuning to directly and precisely program dramatic material size changes.