Amphiphilic DNA Organic Hybrids: Functional Materials in Nanoscience and Potential Application in Biomedicine

Due to the addressability and programmability, DNA has been applied not merely in constructing static elegant nanostructures such as two dimensional and three dimensional DNA nanostructures but also in designing dynamic nanodevices. Moreover, DNA could combine with hydrophobic organic molecules to be a new amphiphilic building block and then self-assemble into nanomaterials. Of particular note, a recent state-of-the-art research has turned our attention to the amphiphilic DNA organic hybrids including small molecule modified DNA (lipid-DNA, fluorescent molecule-DNA, etc.), DNA block copolymers, and DNA-dendron hybrids. This review focuses mainly on the development of their self-assembly behavior and their potential application in nanomaterial and biomedicine. The potential challenges regarding of the amphiphilic DNA organic hybrids are also briefly discussed, aiming to advance their practical applications in nanoscience and biomedicine.