Construction and characterization of metal ion-containing DNA nanowires for synthetic biology and nanotechnology.

ABSTRACT: DNA is an attractive candidate for integration into nanoelectronics as a biological nanowire due to its linear geometry, definable base sequence, easy, inexpensive and non-toxic replication and self-assembling properties. Recently we discovered that by intercalating Ag⁺ in polycytosine-mismatch oligonucleotides, the resulting C-Ag⁺-C duplexes are able to conduct charge efficiently. To map the functionality and biostability of this system, we built and characterized internally-functionalized DNA nanowires through non-canonical, Ag⁺-mediated base pairing in duplexes containing cytosine-cytosine mismatches. We assessed the thermal and chemical stability of ion-coordinated duplexes in aqueous solutions and conclude that the C-Ag⁺-C bond forms DNA dup

SUBMITTER: Vecchioni S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6502794 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature