DNA Nanotechnology for Massive Information Storage

摘要

Studies conducted under the sponsorship of this award consisted of advances in DNA nanotechnology so that it will ultimately be useful for massive information storage. The highlights of the progress fail into the categories of DNA nanomechanical devices, self-assembled DNA arrays in 1D and 2D, and the development of new DNA motifs, and their use in these systems. We have developed a DNA nanomechanical device predicated on the B-Z structural transition of DNA. This rotary device is the first DNA machine, and it has been used to prototype DNA nanomechanical devices in general. Later in the project period we developed a new theory for producing DNA structural motifs, based on reciprocal recombination of DNA double helices. This theory led to a new motif called PX DNA, based on the paranemic association of two double helices. PX DNA, in turn, has been used to produce the first robust rotary DNA nanomechanical device that is based on DNA sequence, rather than environment. In the area of self- assembling arrays, we have had major successes. To begin, we have used rigid DNA double crossover molecules as edges of triangles to produce 1D arrays of well- defined features. In 2D, we learned for the first time to modify 2D arrays so that we can add (or remove) materials to them, materials we expect eventually to aid the assembly of nanoelectronics. We also developed new 2D elements for building arrays, including DNA parallelograms with tunable cavities made both of conventional and bowtie DNA branched junctions. We also developed DNA triple crossover molecules as lattice components. We used them for 2D arrays that offer an avenue to 3D, and for the first algorithmic self-assembly likely to lead to DNA-based computation and self-assembled circuitry.