As colloidal self-assembly increasingly approaches the complexity of natural systems, an ongoing challenge is to generate non-centrosymmetric structures. For example, patchy, Janus or living crystallization particles have significantly advanced the area of polymer assembly. It has remained difficult, however, to devise polymer particles that associate in a directional manner, with controlled valency and recognition motifs. Here, we present a method to transfer DNA patterns from a DNA cage to a polymeric nanoparticle encapsulated inside the cage in three dimensions. The resulting DNA-imprinted particles (DIPs), which are ‘moulded’ on the inside of the DNA cage, consist of a monodisperse crosslinked polymer core with a predetermined pattern of different DNA strands covalently ‘printed’ on their exterior, and further assemble with programmability and directionality. The number, orientation and sequence of DNA strands grafted onto the polymeric core can be controlled during the process, and the strands are addressable independently of each other.

随着胶体自组装越来越接近自然系统的复杂性，一个持续的挑战是产生非中心对称的结构。例如，片状，Janus或活性结晶颗粒已大大提高了聚合物组装的面积。然而，仍然难以设计以定向方式与化合价和识别基序缔合的聚合物颗粒。在这里，我们提出了一种将DNA模式从DNA笼转移到封装在笼内的聚合物纳米颗粒的三维方法。所得的DNA印迹颗粒（DIP）“模制”在DNA笼的内部，由单分散的交联聚合物核组成，在其外部共价“印刷”了具有预定模式的不同DNA链的预定模式，并进一步结合可编程性和方向性。可以在此过程中控制嫁接到聚合物核上的DNA链的数量，方向和序列，并且这些链可以彼此独立地寻址。