Self-Assembled DNA Tubes Forming Helices of Controlled Diameter and Chirality

Maier, Alexander Mario; Bae, Wooli; Schiffels, Daniel; Emmerig, Johannes Friedrich; Schiff, Maximilian and Liedl, Tim (2017): Self-Assembled DNA Tubes Forming Helices of Controlled Diameter and Chirality. In: Acs Nano, Vol. 11, No. 2: pp. 1301-1306

Abstract

Multihelical DNA bundles could enhance the functionality of nanomaterials and serve as model architectures to mimic protein filaments on the molecular and cellular level. We report the self-assembly of micrometer-sized helical DNA nanotubes with widely controllable helical diameters ranging from tens of nanometers to a few micrometers. Nanoscale helical shapes of DNA tile tubes (4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-helix tile tubes) are achieved by introducing discrete amounts of bending and twist through base pair insertions and/or deletions. Microscale helical diameters, which require smaller amounts of twist and bending, are achieved by controlling the intrinsic "supertwist" present in tile tubes with uneven number of helices (11-, 13-, and 15-helix tile tubes). Supertwist fine-tuning also allows us to produce helical nanotubes of defined chirality.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Physics
• Research Centers: Center for NanoScience (CENS)
• Subjects: 500 Science > 530 Physics; 500 Science > 500 Science
• ISSN: 1936-0851
• Language: English