Characterizing DNA Corona Rigidity in DNA-Directed Gold Nanoparticle Crystalline Structures

Journal Article · Mon Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Physical Chemistry. C

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b05396· OSTI ID:1459023

Lee, Ha Youn ^[1]; Ren, Casey ^[1]; Park, Sung Yong ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

DNA-linked gold nanoparticle systems have become an adaptable self-assembly tool for programming various crystalline orders. The programmability lies in the DNA corona, a highly dense outer shell of DNA linkers that binds the nanoparticles together. Various self-assembled structures can be formed by changing the properties of the DNA corona, particularly the size ratio. However, uncertainty still remains as to the actual behavior and structural rigidity of the DNA itself, impeding advances in structural diversification. Specifically, the DNA could adopt an A-form structure after crystallization, or a more flexible DNA corona could be generated if B-form DNA persists but becomes physically bent and adsorbed to the nanoparticle surface in crystal formations. To understand the rigidity of the DNA corona, we devised a method to stretch the DNA between two nanoparticles by simultaneously using short and long linkers. This linker combination flexibly acts as a single linker, rather than two separate linkers that create two ranges of interactions. By measuring the edge-to-edge distance between the two nanoparticles using both linkers in small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, we recorded the first per-base contribution that is consistent with the B-form DNA rise of 3.4 Å. Here, the elucidation of DNA behavior within nanoparticle crystals is essential for understanding the programmability of DNA-linked nanoparticle systems.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357; R01-AI083115
• OSTI ID: 1459023
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry. C, Vol. 120, Issue 32; ISSN 1932-7447
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
crystals
metal nanoparticles
genetics
nanoparticles
X-ray scattering