Flexibility defines structure in crystals of amphiphilic DNA nanostars.
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Publication Date
2019-02-20Journal Title
J Phys Condens Matter
ISSN
0953-8984
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Volume
31
Issue
7
Pages
074003
Language
eng
Type
Article
This Version
AM
Physical Medium
Print-Electronic
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Brady, R. A., Kaufhold, W. T., Brooks, N. J., Foderà, V., & Di Michele, L. (2019). Flexibility defines structure in crystals of amphiphilic DNA nanostars.. J Phys Condens Matter, 31 (7), 074003. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648X/aaf4a1
Abstract
DNA nanostructures with programmable shape and interactions can be used as building blocks for the self-assembly of crystalline materials with prescribed nanoscale features, holding a vast technological potential. Structural rigidity and bond directionality have been recognised as key design features for DNA motifs to sustain long-range order in 3D, but the practical challenges associated with prescribing building-block geometry with sufficient accuracy have limited the variety of available designs. We have recently introduced a novel platform for the one-pot preparation of crystalline DNA frameworks supported by a combination of Watson-Crick base pairing and hydrophobic forces (Brady et al 2017 Nano Lett. 17 3276-81). Here we use small angle x-ray scattering and coarse-grained molecular simulations to demonstrate that, as opposed to available all-DNA approaches, amphiphilic motifs do not rely on structural rigidity to support long-range order. Instead, the flexibility of amphiphilic DNA building-blocks is a crucial feature for successful crystallisation.
Keywords
Biomechanical Phenomena, Crystallography, X-Ray, DNA, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions, Models, Molecular, Nanostructures, Nucleic Acid Conformation
Sponsorship
EPSRC (1494571)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L015978/1)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648X/aaf4a1
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/287384
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http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
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