title: Reprogramming the assembly of unmodified DNA with a small molecule.
abstract: The ability of DNA to store and encode information arises from base pairing of the four-letter nucleobase code to form a double helix. Expanding this DNA 'alphabet' by synthetic incorporation of new bases can introduce new functionalities and enable the formation of novel nucleic acid structures. However, reprogramming the self-assembly of existing nucleobases presents an alternative route to expand the structural space and functionality of nucleic acids. Here we report the discovery that a small molecule, cyanuric acid, with three thymine-like faces, reprogrammes the assembly of unmodified poly(adenine) (poly(A)) into stable, long and abundant fibres with a unique internal structure. Poly(A) DNA, RNA and peptide nucleic acid (PNA) all form these assemblies. Our studies are consistent with the association of adenine and cyanuric acid units into a hexameric rosette, which brings together poly(A) triplexes with a subsequent cooperative polymerization. Fundamentally, this study shows that small hydrogen-bonding molecules can be used to induce the assembly of nucleic acids in water, which leads to new structures from inexpensive and readily available materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Self-assembled Chemical Structures, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Avakyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Self-assembled Chemical Structures, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.|INRS: Centre Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes Quebec J3X 1S2, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Greschner
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Self-assembled Chemical Structures, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
authors.forename: Faisal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aldaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Self-assembled Chemical Structures, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.|School of Physical Sciences, Ingram Building, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NH, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Serpell
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Self-assembled Chemical Structures, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
authors.forename: Violeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Toader
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, Chernoff Hall, 90 Bader Lane, Kingston Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petitjean
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Self-assembled Chemical Structures, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
authors.forename: Hanadi F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Sleiman
mesh_terms: D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D020135:Peptide Nucleic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D011061:Poly A / Q000737:chemistry; D014227:Triazines / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020135:Peptide Nucleic Acids; D014227:Triazines; D011061:Poly A; D004247:DNA; C004632:cyanuric acid