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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
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Assembly of Gold Nanorods into Chiral Plasmonic Metamolecules Using DNA Origami Templates
Published on: March 5, 2019
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Regiospecific Hetero-Assembly of DNA-Functionalized Plasmonic Upconversion Superstructures
1Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|April 9, 2015
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to assemble DNA-gold nanoparticles onto upconversion nanoparticles, creating hybrid systems for dual-modality cancer cell imaging.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Developing advanced nanomaterials for biomedical applications is crucial.
- Hybrid nanoparticles offer synergistic properties for enhanced functionality.
- Controlling nanoparticle assembly is key to creating sophisticated nanostructures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a novel strategy for the regiospecific hetero-assembly of DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) onto upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs).
- To create hybrid lab-on-a-particle systems with controlled organization and stoichiometry.
- To enable targeted dual-modality imaging of cancer cells.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing DNA-AuNPs and hexagonal plate-like UCNPs for assembly.
- Employing biorecognition specificity of DNA toward specific crystal facets of UCNPs for fine-tuning.
- Characterizing the stoichiometry and organization of the assembled superstructures.
Main Results:
- Achieved regiospecific hetero-assembly of DNA-AuNPs onto UCNPs.
- Demonstrated controlled stoichiometry and organization onto different UCNP facets, forming addressable superstructures.
- Maintained both plasmonic resonance of AuNPs and fluorescent properties of UCNPs in the hybrid system.
Conclusions:
- The developed strategy enables precise control over nanoparticle assembly.
- The hybrid DNA-AuNP/UCNP system is suitable for targeted dual-modality imaging.
- This approach offers a promising platform for advanced biomedical diagnostics.
