title: Enzymatically Controlled Vacancies in Nanoparticle Crystals.
abstract: In atomic systems, the mixing of metals results in distinct phase behavior that depends on the identity and bonding characteristics of the atoms. In nanoscale systems, the use of oligonucleotides as programmable "bonds" that link nanoparticle "atoms" into superlattices allows for the decoupling of atom identity and bonding. While much research in atomic systems is dedicated to understanding different phase behavior of mixed metals, it is not well understood on the nanoscale how changes in the nanoscale "bond" affect the phase behavior of nanoparticle crystals. In this work, the identity of the atom is kept the same, but the chemical nature of the bond is altered, which is not possible in atomic systems, through the use of DNA and RNA bonding elements. These building blocks assemble into single crystal nanoparticle superlattices with mixed DNA and RNA bonding elements throughout. The nanoparticle crystals can be dynamically changed through the selective and enzymatic hydrolysis of the RNA bonding elements, resulting in superlattices that retain their crystalline structure and habit, while incorporating up to 35% random vacancies generated from the nanoparticles removed. Therefore, the bonding elements of nanoparticle crystals can be enzymatically and selectively addressed without affecting the nature of the atom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.|International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Stacey N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Barnaby
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.|International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.|International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Ryan V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Thaner
authors.affiliation: X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory , 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States.
authors.forename: Byeongdu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.|International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: George C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.|International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mirkin
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA
keywords: RNA; Superlattices; crystals; enzymes; nanoparticles; vacancies