Issue 16, 2023

Systematic altering of semiflexible DNA-based polymer networks via tunable crosslinking

Abstract

In order to understand and predict the mechanical behaviours of complex, soft biomaterials such as cells or stimuli-responsive hydrogels, it is important to connect how the nanoscale properties of their constituent components impact those of the bulk material. Crosslinked networks of semiflexible polymers are particularly ubiquitous, being underlying mechanical components of biological systems such as cells or ECM, as well as many synthetic or biomimetic materials. Cell-derived components such as filamentous biopolymers or protein crosslinkers are readily available and well-studied model systems. However, as evolutionarily derived materials, they are constrained to a fixed set of structural parameters such as the rigidity and size of the filaments, or the valency and strength of binding of crosslinkers forming inter-filament connections. By implementing a synthetic model system based on the self-assembly of DNA oligonucleotides into nanometer-scale tubes and simple crosslinking constructs, we used the thermodynamic programmability of DNA hybridization to explore the impact of binding affinity on bulk mechanical response. Stepwise tuning the crosslinking affinity over a range from transient to thermodynamically stable shows an according change in viscoelastic behaviour from loosely entangled to elastic, consistent with models accounting for generalized inter-filament interactions. While characteristic signatures of concentration-dependent changes in network morphology found in some other natural and synthetic filament-crosslinker systems were not apparent, the presence of a distinct elasticity increase within a narrow range of conditions points towards potential subtle alterations of crosslink-filament architecture. Here, we demonstrate a new synthetic approach for gaining a deeper understanding of both biological as well as engineered hydrogel systems.

Graphical abstract: Systematic altering of semiflexible DNA-based polymer networks via tunable crosslinking

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Oct 2022
Accepted
02 Apr 2023
First published
05 Apr 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale, 2023,15, 7374-7383

Systematic altering of semiflexible DNA-based polymer networks via tunable crosslinking

M. Glaser, P. Mollenkopf, D. Prascevic, C. Ferraz, J. A. Käs, J. Schnauß and D. M. Smith, Nanoscale, 2023, 15, 7374 DOI: 10.1039/D2NR05615A

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