Integrating DNA Photonic Wires into Light-Harvesting Supramolecular Polymers

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019 Jan 14;58(3):751-755. doi: 10.1002/anie.201809914. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Abstract

An approach combining DNA nanoscaffolds with supramolecular polymers for the efficient and directional propagation of light-harvesting cascades has been developed. A series of photonic wires with different arrangements of fluorophores in DNA-organized nanostructures were linked to light-harvesting supramolecular phenanthrene polymers (SPs) in a self-assembled fashion. Among them, a light-harvesting complex (LHC) composed of SPs and a photonic wire of phenanthrene, Cy3, Cy5, and Cy5.5 chromophores reveals a remarkable energy transfer efficiency of 59 %. Stepwise transfer of the excitation energy collected by the light-harvesting SPs via the intermediate Cy3 and Cy5 chromophores to the final Cy5.5 acceptor proceeds through a Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism. In addition, the light-harvesting properties are documented by antenna effects ranging from 1.4 up to 23 for different LHCs.

Keywords: DNA; FRET; light-harvesting antenna; photonic wires; supramolecular polymers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbocyanines / chemistry*
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Phenanthrenes / chemistry
  • Photons

Substances

  • CY5.5 cyanine dye
  • Carbocyanines
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Phenanthrenes
  • cyanine dye 3
  • cyanine dye 5
  • phenanthrene
  • DNA