Room-Temperature and Selective Triggering of Supramolecular DNA Assembly/Disassembly by Nonionizing Radiation

Abstract

Recent observations have suggested that nonionizing radiation in the microwave and terahertz (THz; far-infrared) regimes could have an effect on double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). These observations are of significance owing to the omnipresence of microwave emitters in our daily lives (e.g., food preparation, telecommunication, and wireless Internet) and the increasing prevalence of THz emitters for imaging (e.g., concealed weapon detection in airports, skin cancer screenings) and communication technologies. By examining multiple DNA nanostructures as well as two plasmid DNAs, microwaves were shown to promote the repair and assembly of DNA nanostructures and single-stranded regions of plasmid DNA, while intense THz pulses had the opposite effect (in particular, for short dsDNA). Both effects occurred at room temperature within minutes, showed a DNA length dependence, and did not affect the chemical integrity of the DNA. Intriguingly, the function of six proteins (enzymes and antibodies) was not affected by exposure to either form of radiation under the conditions examined. This particular detail was exploited to assemble a fully functional hybrid DNA–protein nanostructure in a bottom-up manner. This study therefore provides entirely new perspectives for the effects, on the molecular level, of nonionizing radiation on biomolecules. Moreover, the proposed structure–activity relationships could be exploited in the field of DNA nanotechnology, which paves the way for designing a new range of functional DNA nanomaterials that are currently inaccessible to state-of-the-art assembly protocols.

Cellular effects of terahertz waves

“…In Ref. 215 , THz-wave induced structural changes were also demonstrated for such model systems, as short (tens of bases long) single-stranded DNA with the specified nucleotide sequences. As a result of their exposure to the broadband pulsed THz radiation with the 0.1 to 3.0 THz spectral range, dissembling or interruption of assembling of deterministic secondary thermodynamic DNA structures in an aqueous solution was observed.…”

“…• a decrease in the enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase; 214 • an increase in the activity of T7 endonuclease; 215 • a decrease in the stability of the antigen-antibody complex for dinitrophenol (conjugated with BSA) and mouse monoclonal antibodies against it; 214 • a dose-dependent change in the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase from yeast, horseradish peroxidase, and BSA. 216 In Ref.…”

Intense sub-terahertz radiation from wide-bandgap semiconductor based large-aperture photoconductive antennas pumped by UV lasers

“…The increased availability of such intense table-top THz sources is now attracting great interest from the scientific community on their applications, and especially on the nonlinear nonresonant control of matter [7,18]. For example, single-cycle high-field THz pulses have been used to modify the magnetic structure of multiferroic compounds, such as TbMnO 3 , by modulating the amplitude of spin-cycloid plane rotation [19], to induce the insulator-to-metal transitions in VO 2 [20], to orient molecules [21] and to disassemble DNA [22]. Other nonlinear effects, such as impact ionization [23], ionization of atoms in gas and solids [24,25]and field emission [26,27], have also been demonstrated at THz frequencies.…”

Recent Advances in Constructing Higher‐Order DNA Structures

“…[57a], Copyright (2018) American Chemical Society. (e) Microwave-induced assembly of DNA nanostructures at room temperature [59]. Reprinted with permission from ref [59],.…”

“…(e) Microwave-induced assembly of DNA nanostructures at room temperature [59]. Reprinted with permission from ref [59],. Copyright (2019) John Wiley and Sons.…”