Nanomechanical DNA origami pH sensors

Sensors (Basel). 2014 Oct 16;14(10):19329-35. doi: 10.3390/s141019329.

Abstract

Single-molecule pH sensors have been developed by utilizing molecular imaging of pH-responsive shape transition of nanomechanical DNA origami devices with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Short DNA fragments that can form i-motifs were introduced to nanomechanical DNA origami devices with pliers-like shape (DNA Origami Pliers), which consist of two levers of 170-nm long and 20-nm wide connected at a Holliday-junction fulcrum. DNA Origami Pliers can be observed as in three distinct forms; cross, antiparallel and parallel forms, and cross form is the dominant species when no additional interaction is introduced to DNA Origami Pliers. Introduction of nine pairs of 12-mer sequence (5'-AACCCCAACCCC-3'), which dimerize into i-motif quadruplexes upon protonation of cytosine, drives transition of DNA Origami Pliers from open cross form into closed parallel form under acidic conditions. Such pH-dependent transition was clearly imaged on mica in molecular resolution by AFM, showing potential application of the system to single-molecular pH sensors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / isolation & purification*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology*
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation

Substances

  • DNA