Conformational Control of DNA Origami by DNA Oligomers, Intercalators and UV Light

DNA origami has garnered great attention due to its excellent programmability and precision. It offers a powerful means to create complex nanostructures which may not be possible by other methods. The macromolecular structures may be used as static templates for arranging proteins and other molecules. They are also capable of undergoing structural transformation in response to external signals, which may be exploited for sensing and actuation at the nanoscale. Such on-demand reconfigurations are executed mostly by DNA oligomers through base-pairing and/or strand displacement, demonstrating drastic shape changes between two different states, for example, open and close. Recent studies have developed new mechanisms to modulate the origami conformation in a controllable, progressive manner. Here we present several methods for conformational control of DNA origami nanostructures including chemical adducts and UV light as well as widely applied DNA oligomers. The detailed methods should be useful for beginners in the field of DNA nanotechnology.