title: Directed self-assembly of DNA tiles into complex nanocages.
abstract: Tile-based self-assembly is a powerful method in DNA nanotechnology and has produced a wide range of well-defined nanostructures. But the resulting structures are relatively simple. Increasing the structural complexity and the scope of the accessible structures is an outstanding challenge in molecular self-assembly. A strategy to partially address this problem by introducing flexibility into assembling DNA tiles and employing directing agents to control the self-assembly process is presented. To demonstrate this strategy, a range of DNA nanocages have been rationally designed and constructed. Many of them can not be assembled otherwise. All of the resulting structures have been thoroughly characterized by gel electrophoresis and cryogenic electron microscopy. This strategy greatly expands the scope of accessible DNA nanostructures and would facilitate technological applications such as nanoguest encapsulation, drug delivery, and nanoparticle organization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (USA).
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Guansong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chengde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: DNA structures; cryogenic electron microscopy; nanocages; nanotechnology; self-assembly