Nucleic acid nanotechnology

Abstract:

We report the design and assembly of chiral DNA nanotubes with well‐defined and addressable inside and outside surfaces. We demonstrate that the outside surface can be functionalised with a chiral arrangement of gold nanoparticles to create a plasmonic device and that the inside surface can be functionalised with a track for a molecular motor allowing transport of a cargo within the central cavity.

Abstract:

Asymmetric bimetallic nanomotors are synthesised by seeded growth in solution, providing a convenient and high-throughput alternative to the usual top-down lithographic fabrication of self-propelled catalytic nanoparticles. These synthetic nanomotors catalyse H2O2 decomposition and exhibit enhanced diffusion that depends on fuel concentration, consistent with their chemical propulsion.

Abstract:

The performance of biosensors strongly depends on the nanoarchitecture of the biosensing surface. In many studies the bioreceptor density, orientation and accessibility are often overlooked, resulting in suboptimal biosensing devices. Here, DNA origami structures were decorated with aptamers and studied as a novel tool to structure the biosensor surface with nanoscale precision, favoring interaction between target and aptamer. Using this novel method to engineer biosensing interfaces of two in-house developed biosensing platforms, we were able to accurately detect the presence of a specific target and to compete with existing biosensors in reproducibility, SNR and LOD, without the need for backfilling.

Abstract:

© Copyright Materials Research Society 2017. DNA nanostructures are a set of materials with well-defined physical, chemical, and biological properties that can be used on their own or incorporated with other materials for many applications. Herein, the practical aspects of utilizing DNA nanostructures (structural or dynamic) as materials are comprehensively covered. This article first summarizes properties of DNA molecules and practical considerations and then discusses the fundamental design principles of structural DNA nanostructures. Finally, various aspects of dynamic DNA nanostructure-based actuation and computation are included.