title: A zwitterion-DNA coating stabilizes nanoparticles against Mg2+ driven aggregation enabling attachment to DNA nanoassemblies.
abstract: Plasmonics and photonics demand new methods for the controlled construction of nanoparticle (NP) arrays. Complex, low-symmetry configurations of DNA-functionalized NPs are obtained by connection to scaffolds of branched and folded DNA nanostructures. However, the stabilization of these branched structures by Mg(2+) counterions also drives the uncontrolled aggregation of NPs. We demonstrate, using a two-dimensional DNA scaffold, that derivatizing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with zwitterionic ligands overcomes this problem.
authors.affiliation: Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
authors.forename: Thilak Kumara
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Mudalige
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gang
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Sherman
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D006046:Gold; D004247:DNA; D008274:Magnesium