Encoding hierarchical assembly pathways of proteins with DNA
Abstract
Structural sophistication in nature would not be possible without hierarchical assembly: the concept that an initial building block (e.g., polypeptide) contains all necessary structural and chemical information to determine its assembly along a multistep pathway to generate a complex architecture (e.g., viral capsid). Translating this concept to synthetic systems is an outstanding challenge. Here, we use DNA—the blueprint of life—to direct the hierarchical assembly of proteins. Through DNA design, we can change the directionality of protein assembly and pathway by which protein–DNA conjugates will assemble as well as realize distinct structures by directing assembly along different pathways. These findings will facilitate the assembly of protein–DNA materials with structural complexity more closely approaching that observed in nature.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.2106808118
Entities
People
- Benjamin E. Partridge
- Chad Mirkin
- Oliver G Hayes
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National Cancer Institute
- National Science Foundation
- Northwestern University
- Office of Naval Research
- Office of the Director