Rapid Photoactuation of a DNA Nanostructure using an Internal Photocaged Trigger Strand

Abstract

A reconfigurable DNA nano‐tweezer is reported that can be switched between a closed and open state with a brief pulse of UV light. In its initial state, the tweezer is held shut using a hairpin with a single‐stranded poly‐A loop. Also incorporated in the structure is a poly‐T trigger strand bearing seven photocaged residues. Upon illumination with 365 nm light, the cages are removed and the trigger strand hybridizes to the loop, opening the tweezer and increasing the distance between its arms from 4 to 18 nm. This intramolecular process is roughly 60 times faster than adding an external trigger strand, and provides a mechanism for the rapid interconversion of DNA nanostructures with light.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jun 22, 2018
Source ID
10.1002/anie.201804264

Entities

People

  • Minghui Liu
  • Nicholas Stephanopoulos
  • Nour Eddine Fahmi
  • Omar Loza
  • Petr Šulc
  • Shuoxing Jiang

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Arizona State University
  • Biodesign Institute

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Genetics
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics