Conformational Tuning of Magnetic Interactions in Metal-DNA Complexes

摘要

One of the goals of nanotechnology is to achieve the controlled alignment and self-assembly of atoms and molecules at the atomic scale. Owing to the efficient self-assembly properties of DNA, it shows promise as an efficient structural scaffold for the self-assembly of complex nano-structures in a highly controlled fashion. Synthetic chemists have explored the possibility of replacing naturally occurring bases by alternative bases of different functionalities to allow the modification of DNA in a highly specific and site-selective manner. Recent experimental studies have shown that upon replacement of hydrogen-bonded base pairing by metal-mediated base pairing in DNA, it is possible to align metal ions within the double helical DNA scaffold, leading to the formation of metal-DNA (M-DNA) complexes.