Issue 1, 2022

Asymmetric patterning drives the folding of a tripodal DNA nanotweezer

Abstract

DNA tweezers have emerged as powerful devices for a wide range of biochemical and sensing applications; however, most DNA tweezers consist of single units activated by DNA recognition, limiting their range of motion and ability to respond to complex stimuli. Herein, we present an extended, tripodal DNA nanotweezer with a small molecule junction. Simultaneous, asymmetric elongation of our molecular core is achieved using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to produce length- and sequence-specific DNA arms with repeating DNA regions. When rigidified, our DNA tweezer can be addressed with streptavidin-binding ligands. Full control over the number, separation, and location of these ligands enables site-specific streptavidin recognition; all three arms of the DNA nanotweezer wrap around multiple streptavidin units simultaneously. Our approach combines the simplicity of DNA tile arrays with the size regime normally provided by DNA origami, offering an integrated platform for the use of branched DNA scaffolds as structural building blocks, protein sensors, and dynamic, stimuli-responsive materials.

Graphical abstract: Asymmetric patterning drives the folding of a tripodal DNA nanotweezer

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
30 Aug. 2021
Accepted
04 Nov. 2021
First published
16 Nov. 2021
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 74-80

Asymmetric patterning drives the folding of a tripodal DNA nanotweezer

D. Saliba, T. Trinh, C. Lachance-Brais, A. L. Prinzen, F. J. Rizzuto, D. de Rochambeau and H. F. Sleiman, Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 74 DOI: 10.1039/D1SC04793K

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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