Covalently Linked DNA Nanotubes

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 1458 - 1465
• Main Authors: Wilner, Ofer I, Henning, Anja, Shlyahovsky, Bella, Willner, Itamar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 14-04-2010
• Subjects: Amines - chemistry; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; DNA, Circular - chemical synthesis; DNA, Circular - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Molecular Structure; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotechnology - methods; Nanotubes; Nanotubes - chemistry; Particle Size; Physics; Quantum wires; Sulfhydryl Compounds - chemistry; Surface Properties; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); nanotubes; self-assembly; nucleic acids; nanowires; DNA; Amines; Thiols; Cross-linking; Nanotubes; Amides; Nucleic acids; Nanowires; Nanostructures; Nanostructured materials; Heat treatments
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl100389v

The present study introduces an approach to prepare covalently linked DNA nanotubes. A circular DNA that includes at its opposite poles thiol and amine functionalities acts as the building block for the construction of the DNA nanotubes. The circular DNA is cross-linked with a bis-amide-modified nucleic acid to yield DNA nanowires, and these are subsequently cross-linked by a bis-thiolated nucleic acid to yield the DNA nanotubes. Alternatively, a circular DNA that includes four amine functionalities on its poles is cross-linked in one-step by the bis-thiolated nucleic acid to yield the nanotubes. The resulting nanostructures are stable and nonseparable upon heating.