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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles
Published on: May 8, 2015
Supramolecular helical porphyrin arrays using DNA as a scaffold
Imenne Bouamaied1, ThaoNguyen Nguyen, Thomas Rühl
1School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, UK SO17 1BJ.
Abstract:
A diphenyl porphyrin substituted nucleotide was incorporated site specifically into DNA, leading to helical stacked porphyrin arrays in the major groove of the duplexes. The porphyrins show an electronic interaction which is significantly enhanced compared to the analogous tetraphenyl porphyrin (TPP) as shown in the large exciton coupling of the porphyrin B-band absorbance. Analogous to the TPP-DNA, an induced helical secondary structure is observed in the single strand porphyrin-DNA. The modified DNA can be hybridised to an immobilised complementary strand leading to fluorescent beads.
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