DNA Synthesizer for the Development of New Modalities for DNA Nanostructures
Abstract
Nanoscale structured DNA assemblies have transformative potential for diverse applications in biomolecular and materials science. We have recently developed the computational tool DAEDALUS (http://daedalus-dna-origami.org/) to facilitate the rapid design of DNA nanostructures based on arbitrary 3D geometries. This fully automated computational platform for DNA nanostructure design complements our current experimental workflow to enable the synthesis of complex DNA origami nanostructures. Application of this DNA nanostructure design and synthesis pipeline towards biological sensing and nanoscale photonics requires chemical functionalization of DNA nanoparticles with diverse secondary small molecules and macromolecules. However, our current synthesis workflow relies on commercially available oligonucleotides, limiting DNA nanostructure functionalization to those that are commercially available. Integrating oligonucleotide synthesis production into our experimental pipeline will enable advanced capabilities to synthesize functionalized DNA nanostructures for diverse applications being pursued in our lab and by our collaborators. DNA synthesizers are the only instruments capable of synthesizing unique oligonucleotides of variable length, and are not accessible to us currently in any facility at MIT. For this reason, we seek to acquire a set of instruments that offer local synthesis and purification of custom oligonucleotides. The DNA synthesis platform that we propose to acquire includes both a DNA synthesizer and a high performance liquid chromatography system for downstream purification and quality control. This set of instruments would complement our experimental DNA origami research objectives that are currently funded by the ONR, ARO, DoE, NIH, HFSP, and NSF. We will offer our DNA synthesizing capabilities as an enabling facility for the MIT Biological Engineering Department Teaching Laboratory to facilitate practical learning by undergraduate and graduate students interested in nucleic acid nanotechnology. This abstract is publically releasable. Program Manager: Laura Kienker [342].
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 10, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812290
Entities
People
- Mark Bathe
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy