DNA nanotechnology offers a route towards the synthesis of custom nano-structured materials and circuits through hierarchical assembly processes. While predictive kinetic models are being developed for the assembly of DNA nanostructures from small monomeric components, a general model for the hierarchical assembly of DNA nanostructures remains elusive. DNA tile nanotubes provide an ideal model system for the study of hierarchical assembly via end-to-end joining. In this study, we experimentally characterize the length-dependence of the end-to-end joining rate of DNA tile nanotubes. We then test the ability of three different models of polymer end-to-end joining to reproduce experimentally measured changes in nanotube lengths during a joining reaction using an ODE model for nanotube joining. All three models predict physically realistic joining rates that are consistent with prior measurements, with a length-independent end-to-end joining rate model providing the best fit to the experimental data. A length-independent constant joining rate is consistent with other DNA self-assembly processes across a broad range of length scales and also suggests how tractable models for hierarchical DNA nanostructure could be developed.

中文翻译：

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表征DNA纳米管首尾相连速率的长度依赖性

DNA纳米技术提供了一种通过分级组装过程来合成定制纳米结构材料和电路的途径。虽然正在开发预测动力学模型以从小的单体组分组装DNA纳米结构，但用于DNA纳米结构的分层组装的通用模型仍然难以捉摸。DNA瓷砖纳米管提供了一个理想的模型系统，用于研究通过端到端的加入。在这项研究中，我们实验性地表征了DNA瓷砖纳米管的端对端连接速率的长度依赖性。然后，我们使用三种纳米管连接的ODE模型，测试了三种不同模型的聚合物端对端连接在连接反应过程中重现实验测量的纳米管长度变化的能力。所有这三个模型都预测出与以前的测量结果一致的物理上实际的连接速率，而与长度无关的端对端连接速率模型则提供了对实验数据的最佳拟合。与长度无关的恒定连接速率与在很宽的长度范围内的其他DNA自组装过程一致，并且还暗示了如何开发可处理的用于分层DNA纳米结构的模型。