Triggered contraction of self-assembled micron-scale DNA nanotube rings

Abstract

Contractile rings are formed from cytoskeletal filaments during cell division. Ring formation is induced by specific crosslinkers, while contraction is typically associated with motor protein activity. Here, we engineer DNA nanotubes and peptide-functionalized starPEG constructs as synthetic crosslinkers to mimic this process. The crosslinker induces bundling of ten to hundred DNA nanotubes into closed micron-scale rings in a one-pot self-assembly process yielding several thousand rings per microliter. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce the detailed architectural properties of the DNA rings observed in electron microscopy. Theory and simulations predict DNA ring contraction – without motor proteins – providing mechanistic insights into the parameter space relevant for efficient nanotube sliding. In agreement between simulation and experiment, we obtain ring contraction to less than half of the initial ring diameter. DNA-based contractile rings hold promise for an artificial division machinery or contractile muscle-like materials.

Kinetically Controlled Self-Assembly of Ag Nanoclusters with Enhanced Luminescence

“…Self-assembly affords routes for spontaneously organizing diverse functional nanomaterials into highly ordered superstructures with controllable size and shape by reconstructing the balance between thermodynamic forces and various nanoscale molecular forces. − Through regulating the connection fashion and manipulating the spatial distribution of nanomaterials, self-assembly not only enriches the structural complexity and functional maximization but also influences the atomic and electronic structure and energy and charge transfer, affording and optimizing the unique optical, electrical, physical, and chemical properties that are beyond those of the individual building blocks. − In the past decades, self-assembly structural and performance explorations on various nanomaterials such as organic molecules, large nanoparticles (NPs) (>3 nm), peptide, and DNA have been performed and great achievements have been obtained. With metal NCs as the new-emerged nanomaterials with many unique advantages, fabricating highly ordered metal NC self-assembly structures would be hopeful for largely improving their PL performance and enriching other diverse properties. , However, the research on metal NC self-assembly still progresses slowly and presents significant challenges.…”