title: A general approach to DNA-programmable atom equivalents.
abstract: Nanoparticles can be combined with nucleic acids to programme the formation of three-dimensional colloidal crystals where the particles' size, shape, composition and position can be independently controlled. However, the diversity of the types of material that can be used is limited by the lack of a general method for preparing the basic DNA-functionalized building blocks needed to bond nanoparticles of different chemical compositions into lattices in a controllable manner. Here we show that by coating nanoparticles protected with aliphatic ligands with an azide-bearing amphiphilic polymer, followed by the coupling of DNA to the polymer using strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (also known as copper-free azide-alkyne click chemistry), nanoparticles bearing a high-density shell of nucleic acids can be created regardless of nanoparticle composition. This method provides a route to a virtually endless class of programmable atom equivalents for DNA-based colloidal crystallization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Macfarlane
authors.forename: Kaylie L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Chung Hang J
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Liangliang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Auyeung
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaozhu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mirkin
mesh_terms: D001386:Azides / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D045663:Quantum Dots
chemical_list: D001386:Azides; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D004247:DNA