Issue 41, 2020

Supramolecular assembly of DNA-constructed vesicles

Abstract

The self-assembly of DNA hybrids possessing tetraphenylethylene sticky ends at both sides into vesicular architectures in aqueous medium is demonstrated. Cryo-electron microscopy reveals the formation of different types of morphologies from the amphiphilic DNA-hybrids. Depending on the conditions, either an extended (sheet-like) or a compact (columnar) alignment of the DNA hybrids is observed. The different modes of DNA arrangement lead to the formation of vesicles appearing either as prolate ellipsoids (type I) or as spheres (type II). The type of packing has a significant effect on the accessibility of the DNA, as evidenced by intercalation and light-harvesting experiments. Only the vesicles exhibiting the sheet-like DNA alignment are accessible for intercalation by ethidium bromide or for the integration of chromophore-labelled DNA via a strand exchange process. The dynamic nature of type I vesicles enables their elaboration into artificial light-harvesting complexes by DNA-guided introduction of Cy3-acceptor chromophores. DNA-constructed vesicles of the kind shown here represent versatile intermediates that are amenable to further modification for tailored nanotechnology applications.

Graphical abstract: Supramolecular assembly of DNA-constructed vesicles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
28 May 2020
Accepted
28 Jun 2020
First published
29 Jun 2020
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale, 2020,12, 21118-21123

Supramolecular assembly of DNA-constructed vesicles

S. Rothenbühler, I. Iacovache, S. M. Langenegger, B. Zuber and R. Häner, Nanoscale, 2020, 12, 21118 DOI: 10.1039/D0NR04103C

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