Faculty of Exact Sciences and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel.
J Nanobiotechnology. 2012 May 30;10:21. doi: 10.1186/1477-3155-10-21.
One of the goals in the field of structural DNA nanotechnology is the use of DNA to build up 2- and 3-D nanostructures. The research in this field is motivated by the remarkable structural features of DNA as well as by its unique and reversible recognition properties. Nucleic acids can be used alone as the skeleton of a broad range of periodic nanopatterns and nanoobjects and in addition, DNA can serve as a linker or template to form DNA-hybrid structures with other materials. This approach can be used for the development of new detection strategies as well as nanoelectronic structures and devices.
Here we present a new method for the generation of unprecedented all-organic conjugated-polymer nanoparticle networks guided by DNA, based on a hierarchical self-assembly process. First, microphase separation of amphiphilic block copolymers induced the formation of spherical nanoobjects. As a second ordering concept, DNA base pairing has been employed for the controlled spatial definition of the conjugated-polymer particles within the bulk material. These networks offer the flexibility and the diversity of soft polymeric materials. Thus, simple chemical methodologies could be applied in order to tune the network's electrical, optical and mechanical properties.
One- two- and three-dimensional networks have been successfully formed. Common to all morphologies is the integrity of the micelles consisting of DNA block copolymer (DBC), which creates an all-organic engineered network.
结构 DNA 纳米技术领域的目标之一是利用 DNA 构建 2 维和 3 维纳米结构。该领域的研究受到 DNA 显著的结构特征以及其独特和可逆识别特性的推动。核酸可以单独用作广泛周期性纳米图案和纳米物体的骨架，此外，DNA 还可以作为链接物或模板，与其他材料形成 DNA-杂交结构。这种方法可用于开发新的检测策略以及纳米电子结构和器件。
在这里，我们提出了一种新的方法，基于分层自组装过程，由 DNA 引导生成前所未有的全有机共轭聚合物纳米颗粒网络。首先，两亲嵌段共聚物的微相分离诱导了球形纳米物体的形成。作为第二个有序概念，DNA 碱基配对被用于在本体材料中对共轭聚合物颗粒进行受控的空间定义。这些网络提供了软聚合物材料的灵活性和多样性。因此，可以应用简单的化学方法来调整网络的电、光和机械性能。
成功地形成了一维、二维和三维网络。所有形态的共同点是由 DNA 嵌段共聚物（DBC）组成的胶束的完整性，这创建了一个全有机的工程网络。
