Abstract
The predictability of DNA self-assembly is exploited in many nanotechnological approaches. Inspired by naturally existing self-assembled DNA architectures, branched DNA has been developed that allows self-assembly to predesigned architectures with dimensions on the nanometer scale. DNA is an attractive material for generation of nanostructures due to a plethora of enzymes which modify DNA with high accuracy, providing a toolbox for many different manipulations to construct nanometer scaled objects. We present a straightforward synthesis of a rigid DNA branching building block successfully used for the generation of DNA networks by self-assembly and network formation by enzymatic DNA synthesis. The Y-shaped 3-armed DNA construct, bearing 3 primer strands is accepted by Taq DNA polymerase. The enzyme uses each arm as primer strand and incorporates the branched construct into large assemblies during PCR. The networks were investigated by agarose gel electrophoresis, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The findings indicate that rather rigid DNA networks were formed. This presents a new bottom-up approach for DNA material formation and might find applications like in the generation of functional hydrogels.
Highlights
DNA has found applications in the field of nanotechnology due to its inherent properties
We present a straightforward synthesis of a rigid DNA branching building block successfully used for the generation of DNA networks by self-assembly and network formation by enzymatic DNA synthesis
In order to investigate the impact of rigidity of the branching core on DNA hybridization and usage of the constructs for network formation by polymerase chain reactions (PCR), we aimed at synthesizing a branching molecule based on the 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene scaffold
Summary
DNA has found applications in the field of nanotechnology due to its inherent properties. Joyce et al employed a DNA polymerase to synthesize long single-stranded DNA that folds into an octahedron by assistance of scaffolding DNA oligomers [17] In another approach rolling circle amplification was used for enzymatic amplification of DNA nanostructures [32,33]. We previously reported an approach to construct three dimensional DNA networks that were generated and amplified by DNA polymerase chain reactions (PCR). The primer strands were covalently connected, they were accepted by a DNA polymerase and DNA networks formed by the enzyme. The branched DNA was investigated towards its properties in network formation by self-assembly and PCR. The novel generated DNA networks were investigated by agarose gel electrophoresis, atomic force microscopy, dynamics light scattering, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy on surfaces and in solution
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