title: Selective, controllable, and reversible aggregation of polystyrene latex microspheres via DNA hybridization.
abstract: The directed three-dimensional self-assembly of microstructures and nanostructures through the selective hybridization of DNA is the focus of great interest toward the fabrication of new materials. Single-stranded DNA is covalently attached to polystyrene latex microspheres. Single-stranded DNA can function as a sequence-selective Velcro by only bonding to another strand of DNA that has a complementary sequence. The attachment of the DNA increases the charge stabilization of the microspheres and allows controllable aggregation of microspheres by hybridization of complementary DNA sequences. In a mixture of microspheres derivatized with different sequences of DNA, microspheres with complementary DNA form aggregates, while microspheres with noncomplementary sequences remain suspended. The process is reversible by heating, with a characteristic "aggregate dissociation temperature" that is predictably dependent on salt concentration, and the evolution of aggregate dissociation with temperature is observed with optical microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California 93407, USA.
authors.forename: Phillip H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Carl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanderet
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Bradley K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calvez
authors.forename: Jackson B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Crews
authors.forename: Kwok O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: Peter V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D007840:Latex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008863:Microspheres; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D007840:Latex; D011137:Polystyrenes; D004247:DNA