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Updated: Feb 3, 2026

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
Published on: October 25, 2017
Dynamic and Responsive DNA-like Polymers
Sudheendran Mavila1, Brady T Worrell1, Heidi R Culver1
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , University of Colorado-Boulder , Boulder , Colorado 80309 , United States.
Abstract:
The synthesis of thiolactone monomers that mimic natural nucleosides and engage in robust ring opening polymerizations (ROP) is herein described. As each repeat unit contains a thioester functional group, dynamic rearrangement of the polymer is feasible via thiol-thioester exchange, demonstrated here by depolymerization of the polymers and coalescing of two polymers of different molecular weight or chemical composition. This approach constitutes the first step toward a platform that enables for the routine synthesis of sequence controlled polymers via dynamic template directed synthesis.
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