Building Large DNA Bundles via Controlled Hierarchical Assembly of DNA Tubes

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Yunlong Zhang, Emory University; Donglei Yang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Pengfei Wang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Yonggang Ke, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2023-05-19
• Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c01342
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: ACS NANO
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 11
• Start Page: 10486
• End Page: 10495
• Keywords: Chemistry; DESIGN; reconfigurable; Materials Science; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology; Chemistry, Physical; DNA nanotechnology; DNA nanotubes; Physical Sciences; large DNAbundles; Science & Technology; Technology; ARRAYS; NANOTUBE ARCHITECTURES; hierarchical assembly; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Science & Technology - Other Topics
• Research Categories: Chemistry, General

Abstract

Structural DNA nanotechnology is capable of fabricating designer nanoscale artificial architectures. Developing simple and yet versatile assembly methods to construct large DNA structures of defined spatial features and dynamic capabilities has remained challenging. Herein, we designed a molecular assembly system where DNA tiles can assemble into tubes and then into large one-dimensional DNA bundles following a hierarchical pathway. A cohesive link was incorporated into the tile to induce intertube binding for the formation of DNA bundles. DNA bundles with length of dozens of micrometers and width of hundreds of nanometers were produced, whose assembly was revealed to be collectively determined by cationic strength and linker designs (binding strength, spacer length, linker position, etc.). Furthermore, multicomponent DNA bundles with programmable spatial features and compositions were realized by using various distinct tile designs. Lastly, we implemented dynamic capability into large DNA bundles to realize reversible reconfigurations among tile, tube, and bundles following specific molecular stimulations. We envision this assembly strategy can enrich the toolbox of DNA nanotechnology for rational design of large-size DNA materials of defined features and properties that may be applied to a variety of fields in materials science, synthetic biology, biomedical science, and beyond.