Programmable self-assembly of metal ions inside artificial DNA duplexes.
The ultimate bottom-up approach for the construction of functional nanosystems requires the precise arrangement of atoms and molecules in three dimensions. DNA is currently one of the most prominent molecules able to self-assemble into complex networks and is therefore regarded as the 'silicon of the nano-world'. Metals and metal ions, in contrast, are the atomic building-blocks needed in such materials to establish functions such as electrical conductivity or magnetism. Here we report a new concept, which efficiently combines metal ions and DNA. The DNA structure is used as a matrix to program robustly the complexation of different metal ions under precise control with regard to element, number and composition.
Tanaka
Kentaro
K
Clever
Guido H
GH
Takezawa
Yusuke
Y
Yamada
Yasuyuki
Y
Kaul
Corinna
C
Shionoya
Mitsuhiko
M
Carell
Thomas
T
D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007477:Ions; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size
D007477:Ions; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008670:Metals; D004247:DNA