Assembly and characterization of 8-arm and 12-arm DNA branched junctions.

ABSTRACT: Branched DNA molecules can be assembled into objects and networks directed by sticky-ended cohesion. The connectivity of these species is limited by the number of arms flanking the branch point. To date, the only branched junctions constructed contain six or fewer arms. We report the construction of DNA branched junctions that contain either 8 or 12 double-helical arms surrounding a branch point. The design of the 8-arm junction exploits the limits of a previous approach to thwart branch migration, but the design of the 12-arm junction uses a new to principle achieve this end. The 8-arm junction is stable with 16 nucleotide pairs per arm, but the 12-arm junction has been stabilized by 24 nucleotide pairs per arm. Ferguson analysis of these junctions in combination with 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-ar

SUBMITTER: Wang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3478328 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature