Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
09:57
A Facile and Efficient Approach for the Production of Reversible Disulfide Cross-linked Micelles
Published on: December 23, 2016
9.3K
A Cross-Linking Approach to Stabilizing Stimuli-Responsive Colloidal Crystals Engineered with DNA.
Seungkyu Lee1, Cindy Y Zheng1, Katherine E Bujold1
1Department of Chemistry , Northwestern University , Evanston , Illinois 60208 , United States.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 19, 2019
Summary
DNA cross-linking reagents enhance the stability of DNA-engineered colloidal crystals. These modified crystals maintain structural integrity across diverse chemical environments and pH levels, expanding their potential applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- DNA-engineered colloidal crystals offer unique structural properties.
- Existing stabilization methods have limitations in harsh environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of organic DNA cross-linking reagents for stabilizing DNA-engineered colloidal crystals.
- To assess the impact of cross-linking on crystal stability, order, and flexibility.
Main Methods:
- Covalent cross-linking of DNA interstrand base pairs using bis-chloroethylnitrosourea and 8-methoxypsoralen.
- Characterization of crystal stability using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and assessment of environmental tolerance (solvents, pH).
Main Results:
- Cross-linking significantly enhanced chemical and thermal stability without compromising long-range order.
- Modified crystals demonstrated stability in solvents from ethanol to hexanes and at pH 0 and 14.
- Cross-linked DNA retained flexibility, allowing for solvent-dependent reversible lattice parameter changes.
Conclusions:
- Organic cross-linking is an effective strategy for stabilizing DNA-engineered colloidal crystals.
- This method offers a versatile alternative to inorganic stabilization techniques.
- Stabilized crystals show promise for applications in diverse and extreme media.
More Related Videos
10:18Fabrication of Inverted Colloidal Crystal Polyethylene glycol Scaffold: A Three-dimensional Cell Culture Platform for Liver Tissue Engineering
Published on: August 27, 2016
10.3K
09:12Facet-to-facet Linking of Shape-anisotropic Colloidal Cadmium Chalcogenide Nanostructures
Published on: August 10, 2017
7.9K
Related Concept Videos
03:22Colloids
20.8K
Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles that are visible to the naked eye or can be seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. On the other hand, a solution is a homogeneous mixture in which no settling occurs and in which the dissolved...
20.8K
02:04Covalently Linked Protein Regulators
8.7K
Proteins can undergo many types of post-translational modifications, often in response to changes in their environment. These modifications play an important role in the function and stability of these proteins. Covalently linked molecules include functional groups, such as methyl, acetyl, and phosphate groups, and also small proteins, such as ubiquitin. There are around 200 different types of covalent regulators that have been identified.
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein....
8.7K
01:34Crossing Over
169.4K
Unlike mitosis, meiosis aims for genetic diversity in its creation of haploid gametes. Dividing germ cells first begin this process in prophase I, where each chromosome—replicated in S phase—is now composed of two sister chromatids (identical copies) joined centrally.
The homologous pairs of sister chromosomes—one from the maternal and one from the paternal genome—then begin to align alongside each other lengthwise, matching corresponding DNA positions in a process...
The homologous pairs of sister chromosomes—one from the maternal and one from the paternal genome—then begin to align alongside each other lengthwise, matching corresponding DNA positions in a process...
169.4K
01:53RNA Stability
35.6K
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
35.6K
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
12.4K
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
12.4K
01:17Colloids and Suspensions
3.2K
Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles visible to the naked eye or seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. The suspended particles in a suspension settle out after some time of mixing. The separation of particles from a suspension is...
3.2K