pH‐responsiveness has been widely pursued in dynamic DNA nanotechnology, owing to its potential in biosensing, controlled release, and nanomachinery. pH‐triggering systems mostly depend on specific designs of DNA sequences. However, sequence‐independent regulation could provide a more general tool to achieve pH‐responsive DNA assembly, which has yet to be developed. Herein, we propose a mechanism for dynamic DNA assembly by utilizing ethylenediamine (EN) as a reversibly chargeable (via protonation) molecule to overcome electrostatic repulsions. This strategy provides a universal pH‐responsivity for DNA assembly since the regulation originates from externally co‐existing EN rather than specific DNA sequences. Furthermore, it endows structural DNA nanotechnology with the benefits of a metal‐ion‐free environment including nuclease resistance. The concept could in principle be expanded to other organic molecules which may bring unique controls to dynamic DNA assembly.
- Award ID(s):
- 1814797
- PAR ID:
- 10194799
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nanoscale
- Volume:
- 11
- Issue:
- 39
- ISSN:
- 2040-3364
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 18026 to 18030
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract pH‐responsiveness has been widely pursued in dynamic DNA nanotechnology, owing to its potential in biosensing, controlled release, and nanomachinery. pH‐triggering systems mostly depend on specific designs of DNA sequences. However, sequence‐independent regulation could provide a more general tool to achieve pH‐responsive DNA assembly, which has yet to be developed. Herein, we propose a mechanism for dynamic DNA assembly by utilizing ethylenediamine (EN) as a reversibly chargeable (via protonation) molecule to overcome electrostatic repulsions. This strategy provides a universal pH‐responsivity for DNA assembly since the regulation originates from externally co‐existing EN rather than specific DNA sequences. Furthermore, it endows structural DNA nanotechnology with the benefits of a metal‐ion‐free environment including nuclease resistance. The concept could in principle be expanded to other organic molecules which may bring unique controls to dynamic DNA assembly.
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/c9nr05047g
