Programmable disorder in random DNA tilings.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Scaling molecular complexity requires controlled exploitation of inherent stochasticity.
• Current methods for generating molecular structures have limitations in complexity and diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework for programming random DNA tilings.
• To demonstrate control over global patterns in 2D molecular networks using local rules.

Main Methods:

• Construction of planar networks (loops, mazes, trees) on DNA origami arrays.
• Utilizing self-assembled DNA origami at microscale with nanoscale resolution.
• Employing simple molecular building blocks and robust experimental conditions.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated control over branching rules, growth directions, and network proximity.
• Achieved control over the size distribution of random networks.
• Successfully created diverse 2D molecular networks with programmable properties.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework extends combinatorial principles to 2D molecular networks.
• This approach offers new opportunities for fabricating complex molecular devices organized by DNA nanostructures.
• Enables precise engineering of molecular architectures for advanced applications.