Chiral Metal-DNA Four-Arm Junctions and Metalated Nanotubular Structures

摘要

DNA is a promising template for the programmable assembly of nanostructures. A number of construction strategies have been developed, such as the weaving together of many DNA strands into "tiles" or the stapling of a long DNA strand into "origami" assemblies. These approaches use DNA as the only information source for organization and result in DNA-dense, large, and rigid nanostructures. An interesting alternative is the introduction of synthetic molecules to create DNA assemblies with new structures and functions. The use of organic or inorganic molecules as junctions can eliminate the need to interweave DNA strands for structural definition and thus results in "DNA-economical" structures with smaller sizes and increased dynamic character. Transition-metal junctions are especially useful, because they can impart functional advantages, such as photophysical, redox, catalytic, and magnetic properties, as well as enhanced stability to DNA nanostructures.