A novel family of structurally stable double stranded DNA catenanes

Here we describe the design, assembly and characterisation of different structurally stable and highly polyvalent DNA catenanes. We synthesized a series of different catenated DNA nanostructures, among them symmetric ones containing two 126 or 168 base-pair rings, non-symmetric ones with a 126 and a 168 base-pair ring, and a [3]catenane containing three 126 base-pair rings. Reversible and quantitative on/off switching of the mobility of the rings was demonstrated as a proof-of-concept for the employment of these catenanes as dynamic DNA-nanostructures.