Expanding the toolbox of DNA nanotechnology- silver-mediated DNA base pairing
Abstract
DNA is a powerful tool for nanotechnology, with remarkable sequence-encoded properties that are unrivaled by manmade materials. However, because nanomaterials made of DNA building blocks can easily degrade in harsh environments, a new paradigm is critically needed to dramatically enhance the stability and functionality of DNA nanostructures while retaining their remarkable bio-enabled structure and dynamics. This proposal aims to address this urgent need by exploiting the unique interactions of DNA with silver. Silver atoms interact specifically with the nucleobases that make up the genetic code of DNA, and recent studies have found that silver can mediate formation of entire DNA duplexes, with each base pair bridged by a single silver cation. These silver-mediated duplexes form rigid nanowires of silver atoms and exhibit base pairing rules that differ from the well-known Watson-Crick base pairing of natural DNA. We will use a combined experimental approach, harnessing high resolution mass spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, and electron microscopy to connect the atomic sizes of silver-mediated nanostructures with their structural properties. Then, we will connect these structural properties to physical properties, uncovering how DNA sequence programs mechanical rigidity and electrical transport in silver-mediated DNA duplexes. Finally, we will investigate the functionalities of silvermediated DNA nanostructures for structural DNA nanotechnology. This research effort will build a comprehensive fundamental understanding of the scientific principles governing silver-mediated DNA nanostructures and will enable predictive design of DNA nanotechnology schemes that exploit their remarkable properties. This research has the potential to impact a wide range of fields from photonics to bioelectronics to sensing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502110163
Entities
People
- Stacy Copp
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of California, Irvine