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Updated: Feb 26, 2026
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Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering
Published on: August 14, 2018
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Altering DNA-Programmable Colloidal Crystallization Paths by Modulating Particle Repulsion.
Mary X Wang, Jeffrey D Brodin, Jaime A Millan
1X-Ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory , 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States.
Nano Letters
|July 22, 2017
Summary
DNA-mediated colloidal crystal engineering uses DNA
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
Background:
- Colloidal crystals offer precise nanoparticle (NP) arrangement.
- DNA's polyelectrolyte brush properties can influence NP assembly pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how DNA's polyelectrolyte brush properties alter NP crystallization.
- Explore steric repulsion effects on ligand-directed NP assembly.
Main Methods:
- Coassembly of DNA-conjugated proteins and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs).
- Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
- Experimental data analysis.
Main Results:
- Steric repulsion between DNA-AuNPs and DNA-proteins influences crystal lattice structure.
- Lower packing density favored when DNA-AuNP repulsion is high.
- Structural outcomes tunable by DNA flexibility, density, and salt concentration.
Conclusions:
- Repulsive forces are critical for DNA-mediated colloidal crystal assembly.
- Understanding repulsion enables greater architectural diversity in colloidal crystals.
- Findings provide groundwork for advanced colloidal crystal engineering.
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