title: Self-assembly of DNA-coded nanoclusters.
abstract: We present a theoretical discussion of a self-assembly scheme which makes it possible to use DNA to uniquely encode the composition and structure of microparticle and nanoparticle clusters. These anisotropic DNA-decorated clusters can be further used as building blocks for hierarchical self-assembly of larger structures. We address several important aspects of possible experimental implementation of the proposed scheme: the competition between different types of clusters in a solution, possible jamming in an unwanted configuration, and the degeneracy due to symmetry with respect to particle permutations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan, 450 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Licata
authors.forename: Alexei V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Tkachenko
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D004247:DNA