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Updated: May 22, 2026

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
An earring for the double helix: assembly of topological links comprising duplex DNA and a circular
H Kuhn1, V V Demidov, M D Frank-Kamenetskii
1a Center for Advanced Biotechnology, Department of Biomedical Engineering , Boston University , 36 Cummington St. , Boston , MA , 02215.
Abstract:
Abstract Novel DNA nanostructures, locked pseudorotaxane and locked catenane were assembled through topological linkage of a double-stranded target to a circular oligodeoxyribonucleotide (cODN)(+). The formation of these supramolecular complexes occurs with remarkable sequence specificity and is accomplished via local opening of duplex DNA by a pair of homopyrimidine bis-PNAs. The obtained cODN label, resembling an earring, forms a true topological link with the linear or closed circular (cc) target DNA and occupies a fixed position along the double helix. The PNA directed assembly described here introduces PNA oligomers into the repertoire of DNA nanotechnological tools.
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