Issue 2, 2016

Activity modulation and allosteric control of a scaffolded DNAzyme using a dynamic DNA nanostructure

Abstract

Recognition of the fundamental importance of allosteric regulation in biology dates back to not long after its discovery in the 1960s. Our ability to rationally engineer this potentially useful property into normally non-allosteric catalysts, however, remains limited. In response we report a DNA nanotechnology-enabled approach for introducing allostery into catalytic nucleic acids. Specifically, we have grafted one or two copies of a peroxidase-like DNAzyme, hemin-bound G-quadruplex (hemin-G), onto a DNA tetrahedral nanostructure in such a manner as to cause them to interact, modulating their catalytic activity. We achieve allosteric regulation of these catalysts by incorporating dynamically responsive oligonucleotides that respond to specific “effector” molecules (complementary oligonucleotides or small molecules), altering the spacing between the catalytic sites and thus regulating their activity. This designable approach thus enables subtle allosteric modulation in DNAzymes that is potentially of use for nanomedicine and nanomachines.

Graphical abstract: Activity modulation and allosteric control of a scaffolded DNAzyme using a dynamic DNA nanostructure

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
30 sept. 2015
Accepted
26 oct. 2015
First published
26 oct. 2015
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., 2016,7, 1200-1204

Activity modulation and allosteric control of a scaffolded DNAzyme using a dynamic DNA nanostructure

X. Mao, A. J. Simon, H. Pei, J. Shi, J. Li, Q. Huang, K. W. Plaxco and C. Fan, Chem. Sci., 2016, 7, 1200 DOI: 10.1039/C5SC03705K

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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