Luo Xin, Saliba Daniel, Yang Tianxiao, Gentile Serena, Mori Keita, Islas Patricia, Das Trishalina, Bagheri Neda, Porchetta Alessandro, Guarne Alba, Cosa Gonzalo, Sleiman Hanadi F
Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal QC, H3A 0B8, Canada.
Department of Biochemistry and Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2023 Oct 26;62(44):e202309869. doi: 10.1002/anie.202309869. Epub 2023 Sep 21.
DNA nanotubes (NTs) have attracted extensive interest as artificial cytoskeletons for biomedical, synthetic biology, and materials applications. Here, we report the modular design and assembly of a minimalist yet robust DNA wireframe nanotube with tunable cross-sectional geometry, cavity size, chirality, and length, while using only four DNA strands. We introduce an h-motif structure incorporating double-crossover (DX) tile-like DNA edges to achieve structural rigidity and provide efficient self-assembly of h-motif-based DNA nanotube (H-NT) units, thus producing programmable, micrometer-long nanotubes. We demonstrate control of the H-NT nanotube length via short DNA modulators. Finally, we use an enzyme, RNase H, to take these structures out of equilibrium and trigger nanotube assembly at a physiologically relevant temperature, underlining future cellular applications. The minimalist H-NTs can assemble at near-physiological salt conditions and will serve as an easily synthesized, DNA-economical modular template for biosensors, plasmonics, or other functional materials and as cost-efficient drug-delivery vehicles for biomedical applications.
DNA纳米管（NTs）作为用于生物医学、合成生物学和材料应用的人工细胞骨架，已引起广泛关注。在此，我们报告了一种极简但稳健的DNA线框纳米管的模块化设计与组装，该纳米管具有可调节的横截面几何形状、腔尺寸、手性和长度，且仅使用四条DNA链。我们引入了一种包含双交叉（DX）瓦片状DNA边缘的h基序结构，以实现结构刚性，并提供基于h基序的DNA纳米管（H-NT）单元的高效自组装，从而生产出可编程的微米长纳米管。我们展示了通过短DNA调节剂对H-NT纳米管长度的控制。最后，我们使用一种酶RNase H使这些结构脱离平衡，并在生理相关温度下触发纳米管组装，这突出了其未来在细胞中的应用。这种极简的H-NTs可以在接近生理盐条件下组装，并将作为一种易于合成、节省DNA的模块化模板用于生物传感器、等离子体学或其他功能材料，以及作为用于生物医学应用的经济高效的药物递送载体。
