scholarly journals A Structurally Variable Hinged Tetrahedron Framework from DNA Origami

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Smith ◽  
Verena Schüller ◽  
Carsten Forthmann ◽  
Robert Schreiber ◽  
Philip Tinnefeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Dna Origami ◽  
Microscopy Technique ◽  
Wire Frame ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Linker Molecules

Nanometer-sized polyhedral wire-frame objects hold a wide range of potential applications both as structural scaffolds as well as a basis for synthetic nanocontainers. The utilization of DNA as basic building blocks for such structures allows the exploitation of bottom-up self-assembly in order to achieve molecular programmability through the pairing of complementary bases. In this work, we report on a hollow but rigid tetrahedron framework of 75 nm strut length constructed with the DNA origami method. Flexible hinges at each of their four joints provide a means for structural variability of the object. Through the opening of gaps along the struts, four variants can be created as confirmed by both gel electrophoresis and direct imaging techniques. The intrinsic site addressability provided by this technique allows the unique targeted attachment of dye and/or linker molecules at any point on the structure's surface, which we prove through the superresolution fluorescence microscopy technique DNA PAINT.

HYBRID SEMICONDUCTING QUANTUM DOTS–METALLIC NANOPARTICLES ARRAYS FOR POSSIBLE NANOPHOTONIC DEVICES

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (04n05) ◽  
pp. 1113-1118
Author(s):  
M. HARIDAS ◽  
J. K. BASU
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Dots ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Metallic Nanoparticles ◽  
Quantum Information Processing ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Nanophotonic Devices ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Assembly Technique

Arrays of quantum dots and hybrid arrays of semiconducting quantum dots and metallic nanoparticles have wide range of potential applications from nanophotonics to quantum information processing. Creating such arrays with well-defined morphology and order over a large area is a challenge. We present a reliable method for constructing such arrays using simple self assembly technique. The reliability of the method is verified using AFM. The emission properties of such system are studied using high resolution imaging techniques and we have given the possible explanation for the observed phenomena.

scholarly journals α-Cyclodextrin-Based Polypseudorotaxane Hydrogels

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Domiński ◽  
Tomasz Konieczny ◽  
Piotr Kurcok
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Polymeric Nanoparticles ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Polymer Chains ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Noncovalent Bonds ◽  
Significant Attention

Supramolecular hydrogels that are based on inclusion complexes between α-cyclodextrin and (co)polymers have gained significant attention over the last decade. They are formed via dynamic noncovalent bonds, such as host–guest interactions and hydrogen bonds, between various building blocks. In contrast to typical chemical crosslinking (covalent linkages), supramolecular crosslinking is a type of physical interaction that is characterized by great flexibility and it can be used with ease to create a variety of “smart” hydrogels. Supramolecular hydrogels based on the self-assembly of polypseudorotaxanes formed by a polymer chain “guest” and α-cyclodextrin “host” are promising materials for a wide range of applications. α-cyclodextrin-based polypseudorotaxane hydrogels are an attractive platform for engineering novel functional materials due to their excellent biocompatibility, thixotropic nature, and reversible and stimuli-responsiveness properties. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current progress in the chemistry and methods of designing and creating α-cyclodextrin-based supramolecular polypseudorotaxane hydrogels. In the described systems, the guests are (co)polymer chains with various architectures or polymeric nanoparticles. The potential applications of such supramolecular hydrogels are also described.

Factors Affecting Molecular Self-Assembly and Its Mechanism

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hueyling Tan
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Molecular Engineering ◽  
Molecular Structures ◽  
Polymer Science ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Dna Structures ◽  
Self Assembling ◽  
Wide Range

Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in nature and has emerged as a new approach to produce new materials in chemistry, engineering, nanotechnology, polymer science and materials. Molecular self-assembly has been attracting increasing interest from the scientific community in recent years due to its importance in understanding biology and a variety of diseases at the molecular level. In the last few years, considerable advances have been made in the use ofpeptides as building blocks to produce biological materials for wide range of applications, including fabricating novel supra-molecular structures and scaffolding for tissue repair. The study ofbiological self-assembly systems represents a significant advancement in molecular engineering and is a rapidly growing scientific and engineering field that crosses the boundaries ofexisting disciplines. Many self-assembling systems are rangefrom bi- andtri-block copolymers to DNA structures as well as simple and complex proteins andpeptides. The ultimate goal is to harness molecular self-assembly such that design andcontrol ofbottom-up processes is achieved thereby enabling exploitation of structures developed at the meso- and macro-scopic scale for the purposes oflife and non-life science applications. Such aspirations can be achievedthrough understanding thefundamental principles behind the selforganisation and self-synthesis processes exhibited by biological systems.

Zeolates: A Coordination Chemistry View of Metal-Ligand Bonding in Intrazeolite MOCVD Type Precursors and Semiconductor Nanoclusters

1992 ◽  
Vol 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey A. Ozin ◽  
Carol L. Bowes ◽  
Mark R. Steele
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Zeolite Y ◽  
Chemical Vapour ◽  
Internal Surface ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Organic Chemical ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Shape Selective

ABSTRACTVarious MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapour deposition) type precursors and their self-assembled semiconductor nanocluster products [1] have been investigated in zeolite Y hosts. From analysis of in situ observations (FTIR, UV-vis reflectance, Mössbauer, MAS-NMR) of the reaction sequences and structural features of the precursors and products (EXAFS and Rietveld refinement of powder XRD data) the zeolite is viewed as providing a macrospheroidal, multidendate coordination environment towards encapsulated guests. By thinking about the α- and β-cages of the zeolite Y host effectively as a zeolate ligand composed of interconnected aluminosilicate “crown ether-like” building blocks, the materials chemist is able to better understand and exploit the reactivity and coordination properties of the zeolite internal surface for the anchoring and self-assembly of a wide range of encapsulated guests. This approach helps with the design of synthetic strategies for creating novel guest-host inclusion compounds having possible applications in areas of materials science such as nonlinear optics, quantum electronics, and size/shape selective catalysis.

scholarly journals Modification of a Single Atom Affects the Physical Properties of Double Fluorinated Fmoc-Phe Derivatives

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (17) ◽  
pp. 9634
Author(s):  
Moran Aviv ◽  
Dana Cohen-Gerassi ◽  
Asuka A. Orr ◽  
Rajkumar Misra ◽  
Zohar A. Arnon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
The Self ◽  
Single Atom ◽  
Supramolecular Organization ◽  
Assembly Process ◽  
Wide Range

Supramolecular hydrogels formed by the self-assembly of amino-acid based gelators are receiving increasing attention from the fields of biomedicine and material science. Self-assembled systems exhibit well-ordered functional architectures and unique physicochemical properties. However, the control over the kinetics and mechanical properties of the end-products remains puzzling. A minimal alteration of the chemical environment could cause a significant impact. In this context, we report the effects of modifying the position of a single atom on the properties and kinetics of the self-assembly process. A combination of experimental and computational methods, used to investigate double-fluorinated Fmoc-Phe derivatives, Fmoc-3,4F-Phe and Fmoc-3,5F-Phe, reveals the unique effects of modifying the position of a single fluorine on the self-assembly process, and the physical properties of the product. The presence of significant physical and morphological differences between the two derivatives was verified by molecular-dynamics simulations. Analysis of the spontaneous phase-transition of both building blocks, as well as crystal X-ray diffraction to determine the molecular structure of Fmoc-3,4F-Phe, are in good agreement with known changes in the Phe fluorination pattern and highlight the effect of a single atom position on the self-assembly process. These findings prove that fluorination is an effective strategy to influence supramolecular organization on the nanoscale. Moreover, we believe that a deep understanding of the self-assembly process may provide fundamental insights that will facilitate the development of optimal amino-acid-based low-molecular-weight hydrogelators for a wide range of applications.

scholarly journals Self-Assembly of Temperature Sensitive Unilamellar Vesicles by a Blend of Block Copolymers in Aqueous Solution

Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong Dae Jang ◽  
Changwoo Do ◽  
Joona Bang ◽  
Young Soo Han ◽  
Tae-Hwan Kim
Keyword(s):  
Block Copolymers ◽  
Hydrophobic Interaction ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Small Angle Neutron Scattering ◽  
Mass Fraction ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Vesicular Structure ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Scattering Measurements ◽  
Potential Applications

A self-assembled unilamellar vesicle, which can be used as a drug delivery system, was easily and simply fabricated using a blended system of Pluronic block copolymers. Controlling the hydrophilic mass fraction of block copolymers (by blending the block copolymer with a different hydrophilic mass fraction) and temperature (i.e., the hydrophobic interaction is controlled), a vesicular structure was formed. Small angle neutron scattering measurements showed that the vesicular structure had diameters of empty cores from 13.6 nm to 79.6 nm, and thicknesses of the bilayers from 2.2 nm to 8.7 nm when the hydrophobic interaction was changed. Therefore, considering that the temperature of the vesicle formation is controllable by the concentration of the blended block copolymers, it is possible for them to be applied in a wide range of potential applications, for example, as nanoreactors and nanovehicles.

Nanoparticles and self-organisation: the emergence of hierarchical properties from the nanoparticle soup (i.e., the small is getting bigger). Concluding remarks for Faraday Discussion: Nanoparticle Synthesis and Assembly.

2015 ◽  
Vol 181 ◽  
pp. 481-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Schiffrin
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Optical Materials ◽  
Nanoparticle Synthesis ◽  
Hierarchical Structures ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Main Theme ◽  
Colloid Science ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Properties Of Materials ◽  
Discussion Format

Some four years ago, one of the participants in this Discussion (Prof. Nicholas Kotov) predicted that: “within five years we shall see multiple examples of electronic, sensor, optical and other devices utilizing self-assembled superstructures” (N. A. Kotov, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 16673–16674). Although this prediction came partially to fruition, we have witnessed an unprecedented interest in the properties of materials at the nanoscale. The point highlighted by Kotov, however, was the importance of self-assembly of structures from well characterised building blocks to yield hierarchical structures, hopefully with predictable properties, a concept that is an everyday pursuit of synthetic chemists. This Discussion has brought together researchers from a wide range of disciplines, i.e., colloid science, modelling, nanoparticle synthesis and organisation, magnetic and optical materials, and new imaging methods, within the excellent traditional Faraday Discussion format, to discuss advances in areas relevant to the main theme of the meeting.

scholarly journals Beyond icosahedral symmetry in packings of proteins in spherical shells

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (34) ◽  
pp. 9014-9019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Mosayebi ◽  
Deborah K. Shoemark ◽  
Jordan M. Fletcher ◽  
Richard B. Sessions ◽  
Noah Linden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Icosahedral Symmetry ◽  
Protein Cages ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Stable Arrangement ◽  
Symmetric Structures

The formation of quasi-spherical cages from protein building blocks is a remarkable self-assembly process in many natural systems, where a small number of elementary building blocks are assembled to build a highly symmetric icosahedral cage. In turn, this has inspired synthetic biologists to design de novo protein cages. We use simple models, on multiple scales, to investigate the self-assembly of a spherical cage, focusing on the regularity of the packing of protein-like objects on the surface. Using building blocks, which are able to pack with icosahedral symmetry, we examine how stable these highly symmetric structures are to perturbations that may arise from the interplay between flexibility of the interacting blocks and entropic effects. We find that, in the presence of those perturbations, icosahedral packing is not the most stable arrangement for a wide range of parameters; rather disordered structures are found to be the most stable. Our results suggest that (i) many designed, or even natural, protein cages may not be regular in the presence of those perturbations and (ii) optimizing those flexibilities can be a possible design strategy to obtain regular synthetic cages with full control over their surface properties.

Hierarchical Assembly of DNA Origami Nanostructures Using Coiled-coil Peptides

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Buchberger ◽  
Chad Simmons ◽  
Nour Fahmi ◽  
Ronit Freeman ◽  
Nicholas Stephanopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Coiled Coil ◽  
Dna Origami ◽  
Hybrid Nanostructures ◽  
Hierarchical Assembly ◽  
Alternating Copolymer ◽  
Self Assembling ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Multiple Routes ◽  
Stepwise Assembly

DNA and peptides are two of the most commonly used biomolecules for building self-assembling materials, but few examples exist of hybrid nanostructures that contain both components. Here we report the modification of two peptides that comprise a coiled-coil heterodimer pair with orthogonal DNA handles in order to link DNA origami nanostructures bearing complementary strands into micrometer long one-dimensional arrays. We probed the effect of number of coils on self-assembly and demonstrated the formation of self-assembled structures through multiple routes, to form dimers and trimers, an alternating copolymer of two different origami bundles, and stepwise assembly of purified structures with coiled-coil conjugates. Our results demonstrate the successful merging of two distinct self-assembly modes to create hybrid bionanomaterials expected to have a range of potential applications in the future.

Algorithm for Graph’s Connectivity Problem Based on DNA Origami

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-336
Author(s):  
Jingjing Ma
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Dna Origami ◽  
The Self ◽  
Agarose Gel ◽  
Agarose Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Strand Displacement ◽  
Parallel Method ◽  
Specific Hybridization ◽  
Connectivity Problem

Based on DNA origami, an algorithm is proposed for Graph’s Connectivity problem via the self-assembly of DNA origami structures. The desired DNA origami structures can be constructed. These structures can encode the information of Graph’s vertices and edges, because these structures have sticky ends, so they can assemble to advanced structures representing the information of a graph via specific hybridization. Via strand displacement reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis, the vertices can be deleted and the graph’s connectivity can be tested one by one. This is a highly parallel method, and can reduce the complexity of Graph’s Connectivity problem greatly.

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