skip to main content


Title: Tug-of-War between DNA Chelation and Silver Agglomeration in DNA–Silver Cluster Chromophores
Award ID(s):
2002910 1655740
NSF-PAR ID:
10335281
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume:
126
Issue:
21
ISSN:
1520-6106
Page Range / eLocation ID:
3822 to 3830
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Sequence-encoded biomolecules such as DNA and peptides are powerful programmable building blocks for nanomaterials. This paradigm is enabled by decades of prior research into how nucleic acid and amino acid sequences dictate biomolecular interactions. The properties of biomolecular materials can be significantly expanded with non-natural interactions, including metal ion coordination of nucleic acids and amino acids. However, these approaches present design challenges because it is often not well-understood how biomolecular sequence dictates such non-natural interactions. This Feature Article presents a case study in overcoming challenges in biomolecular materials with emerging approaches in data mining and machine learning for chemical design. We review progress in this area for a specific class of DNA-templated metal nanomaterials with complex sequence-to-property relationships: DNA-stabilized silver nan- oclusters (AgN-DNAs) with bright, sequence-tuned fluorescence colors and promise for biophotonics applications. A brief overview of machine learning concepts is presented, and high-throughput experimental synthesis and characterization of AgN-DNAs are discussed. Then, recent progress in machine learning-guided design of DNA sequences that select for specific AgN-DNA fluorescence properties is reviewed. We conclude with emerging opportunities in machine learning-guided design and discovery of AgN-DNAs and other sequence-encoded biomolecular nanomaterials. 
    more » « less
  2. We present chemical synthesis strategies for DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters (AgN-DNAs) with near-infrared (NIR) emission in the biological tissue transparency windows. Elevated temperatures can significantly increase chemical yield of near-infrared nanoclusters. In most cases, basic pH favors near-infrared nanoclusters while micromolar amounts of NaCl inhibit their formation. 
    more » « less