Abstract: Structural DNA nanotechnology has been developed into a powerful method for creating self-assembled nanomaterials. Their compatibility with biosystems, nanoscale addressability, and programmable dynamic features make them appealing candidates for biomedical research. This review paper focuses on DNA self-assembly strategies and designer nanostructures with custom functions for biomedical applications. Specifically, we review the development of DNA self-assembly methods, from simple DNA motifs consisting of a few DNA strands to complex DNA architectures assembled by DNA origami. Three advantages are discussed using structural DNA nanotechnology for biomedical applications: (1) precise spatial control, (2) molding and guiding other biomolecules, and (3) using reconfigurable DNA nanodevices to overcome biomedical challenges. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of employing DNA nanotechnology for biomedical applications, emphasizing diverse assembly strategies to create a custom DNA nanostructure with desired functions.
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Nucleic acid paranemic structures: a promising building block for functional nanomaterials in biomedical and bionanotechnological applications
Over the past few decades, DNA has been recognized as a powerful self-assembling material capable of crafting supramolecular nanoarchitectures with quasi-angstrom precision, which promises various applications in the fields of materials science, nanoengineering, and biomedical science. Notable structural features include biocompatibility, biodegradability, high digital encodability by Watson–Crick base pairing, nanoscale dimension, and surface addressability. Bottom-up fabrication of complex DNA nanostructures relies on the design of fundamental DNA motifs, including parallel (PX) and antiparallel (AX) crossovers. However, paranemic or PX motifs have not been thoroughly explored for the construction of DNA-based nanostructures compared to AX motifs. In this review, we summarize the developments of PX-based DNA nanostructures, highlight the advantages as well as challenges of PX-based assemblies, and give an overview of the structural and chemical features that lend their utilization in a variety of applications. The works presented cover PX-based DNA nanostructures in biological systems, dynamic systems, and biomedical contexts. The possible future advances of PX structures and applications are also summarized, discussed, and postulated.
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- PAR ID:
- 10388614
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Materials Chemistry B
- Volume:
- 10
- Issue:
- 37
- ISSN:
- 2050-750X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 7460 to 7472
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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