Abstract
DNA is a very useful molecule for the programmed self-assembly of 3D (three dimension) nanoscale structures. The organised 3D DNA assemblies and crystals enable scientists to conduct studies for many applications such as enzymatic catalysis, biological immune analysis and photoactivity. The first self-assembled 3D DNA single crystal was reported by Seeman and his colleagues, based on a rigid triangle tile with the tile side length of two turns. Till today, successful designs of 3D single crystals by means of programmed self-assembly are countable, and still remain as the most challenging task in DNA nanotechnology, due to the highly constrained conditions for rigid tiles and precise packing. We reported here the use of small circular DNA molecules instead of linear ones as the core triangle scaffold to grow 3D single crystals. Several crystallisation parameters were screened, DNA concentration, incubation time, water-vapour exchange speed, and pH of the sampling buffer. Several kinds of DNA single crystals with different morphologies were achieved in macroscale. The crystals can provide internal porosities for hosting guest molecules of Cy3 and Cy5 labelled triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs). Success of small circular DNA molecules in self-assembling 3D single crystals encourages their use in DNA nanotechnology regarding the advantage of rigidity, stability, and flexibility of circular tiles.
Highlights
DNA self-assembling nanostructures are programmable, porous and scalable frameworks
We tried on using the circular DNA molecule as the core triangle scaffold to build the triangular tile with three sides of the same length of three turns and further to grow 3D crystals. 3D DNA crystals in the size range from 10 to 450 μm were achieved by optimisation of crystallisation conditions and tuning of DNA sequences
We have demonstrated that the circular DNA as the core scaffffold forming the triangular tile can be applied to construct 3D DNA single crystals
Summary
DNA self-assembling nanostructures are programmable, porous and scalable frameworks. The modular architecture of DNA molecules enables scientists to construct custom-shaped objects on the nanometer scale. The advantage of tunable DNA nanostructure properties such as linking site, porosity, lattice geometry can be designed to conform the shape, volume and surface characteristics of target objects for applications in various research areas: catalysis, biological immune analysis, photoactivity, etc. The first structural DNA 3D crystal [15] was designed and achieved using branched DNA junctions to construct stacked triangular lattices, in which every two adjacent duplexes adopt approximately 60◦ in 3D and the side length of the triangle tile is two turns. We tried on using the circular DNA molecule as the core triangle scaffold to build the triangular tile with three sides of the same length of three turns and further to grow 3D crystals. We tried on using the circular DNA molecule as the core triangle scaffold to build the triangular tile with three sides of the same length of three turns and further to grow 3D crystals. 3D DNA crystals in the size range from 10 to 450 μm were achieved by optimisation of crystallisation conditions and tuning of DNA sequences
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