Polyhedra Self-Assembled from DNA Tripods and Characterized with 3D DNA-PAINT

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1250944
• Publication Date: 2014-03-14T06:18:28Z
• Authors: Ryosuke Iinuma; Yonggang Ke; Ralf Jungmann; Thomas Schlichtha...; Johannes B. Woehr...; Peng Yin
• Keywords: Molecular Weight; 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Nanotechnology; Nucleic Acid Conformation; DNA; Nanostructures

Engineering Larger DNA Structures

Several approaches now exist for the self-assembly of DNA into nanostructures. For example, three-arm DNA tripods can be assembled into larger wireframe polyhedra, but for the most complicated shapes, assembly yields can be low, apparently because the flexibility of smaller tripods allows for misassembly.

Iinuma et al.

(p. 65 , published online 13 March) now show that larger, stiffer tripods that have controlled arm lengths and interarm angles can be designed to form a wide variety of open wireframe polyhedra—including tetrahedra, cubes, and hexagonal prisms, with edges 100 nanometers in length.