Issue 41, 2023

Geometry guided crystallization of anisotropic DNA origami shapes

Abstract

Three-dimensional assembly based on DNA origami structures is an ideal method to precisely fabricate nano-scale materials. Additionally, applying an anisotropic assembly unit facilitates constructing complex materials with extraordinary structure. However, it still remains challenging to crystallize anisotropic DNA nano-structures using simple design, because the assembly of low-symmetry monomers often requires harsh auxiliary conditions and more complicated crystallization processes. In this work, we managed to crystallize the anisotropic elongated octahedral DNA origami frames by non-specific connections, and acquired two kinds of highly ordered superlattices purely by conducting multiple annealing processes and increasing the rigidity of the connection parts. In the case where the connection parts were composed of soft DNA sticky ends, we obtained the theoretically inaccessible simple cubic superlattices by this anisotropic DNA origami shape. Through characterization by small-angle X-ray scattering and scanning electron microscopy, we found that the DNA monomers are arbitrarily arranged due to the stress buffering of the soft DNA SEs, while in the stiffer case, simple tetragonal superlattices with translational arrangement of most anisotropic DNA origami shapes were synthesized as expected. This work deepened the understanding of geometry-guided crystallization of DNA origami shapes and provided a new path for constructing three-dimensional functional devices with simple design.

Graphical abstract: Geometry guided crystallization of anisotropic DNA origami shapes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
29 May 2023
Accepted
01 Oct 2023
First published
03 Oct 2023
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2023,14, 11507-11514

Geometry guided crystallization of anisotropic DNA origami shapes

S. Huang, M. Ji, Y. Wang and Y. Tian, Chem. Sci., 2023, 14, 11507 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC02722H

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