Synthesis and assembly of conjugates bearing specific numbers of DNA strands per gold nanoparticle

Bioconjug Chem. 2012 May 16;23(5):916-22. doi: 10.1021/bc200485r. Epub 2012 Apr 30.

Abstract

Here, we present a relatively simple, efficient, and high-yielding polymerase-based method for the synthesis of 15 nm gold nanoparticle conjugates bearing a specific number of 25 base oligonucleotide strands. We have shown that the conjugates bearing one or two oligonucleotide strands per particle, with the conjugates comprising a single complementary strand, self-assemble into nanoparticle dimers and trimers, respectively. Incubation of fully coated AuNPs, containing tens of oligonucleotide strands, with a conjugate bearing a single complementary strand leads to the formation of flower-shaped structures. The assembly of particles into nanoparticle structures shown here is a prerequisite for more complex controlled assembly of particles into three-dimensional macrostructures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA Polymerase I / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Nanotechnology
  • Oligonucleotides / chemistry*
  • Oligonucleotides / metabolism

Substances

  • Oligonucleotides
  • Gold
  • DNA
  • DNA Polymerase I