Self-assembly of DNA rings from scaffold-free DNA tiles

Nano Lett. 2013 Apr 10;13(4):1862-6. doi: 10.1021/nl400859d. Epub 2013 Mar 28.

Abstract

We report a scaffold-free approach in which four- and six-helix DNA bundle units, assembled from a small number of single stranded DNA oligonucleotides precisely arranged in networks of contiguous and semicrossover strands, are connected into DNA nano rings. Nearly uniform structures with well-defined diameters of 53 ± 7, 81 ± 9, 85 ± 8, and 166 ± 13 nm were achieved by introducing uniform, in-plane curvature to the repeating units. We demonstrate that precise higher order assemblies can be achieved by fine tuning the particular features of the individual building blocks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Nanostructures / chemistry
  • Nanotechnology*
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Oligonucleotides / chemistry*

Substances

  • Oligonucleotides
  • DNA