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Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
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Stability of the pH-Dependent Parallel-Stranded d(CGA) Motif.
Emily M Luteran1, Jason D Kahn1, Paul J Paukstelis1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
Biophysical Journal
|September 23, 2020
Summary
The d(CGA) triplet repeat motif
Area of Science:
- DNA nanotechnology
- Biophysical chemistry
- Materials science
Background:
- Noncanonical DNA structures offer versatility beyond Watson-Crick interactions in DNA nanotechnology.
- The d(CGA) triplet repeat motif exhibits pH-dependent structural transitions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the thermodynamic stability and nuclease sensitivity of the d(CGA) triplet repeat motif.
- To understand how structural transitions affect stability and nuclease resistance.
Main Methods:
- Oligonucleotides with d(CGA) motifs and variants were synthesized.
- Thermodynamic stability and nuclease sensitivity were assessed at different pH levels.
Main Results:
- Decreasing pH induced a transition from hairpin to parallel-stranded duplex structures.
- This transition significantly increased thermodynamic stability and decreased nuclease sensitivity.
- Altering the 5'-nucleobase and frequency/position of triplets modulated duplex stability.
Conclusions:
- The d(CGA) motif is a pH-adaptive structural element with tunable stability.
- This motif provides valuable insights for designing DNA-based nanomaterials.
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