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Updated: Nov 1, 2025

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
Engineering the Nanoscaled Morphologies of Linear DNA Homopolymers
Mengxi Zheng1, Qian Li1,2, Qian Li1
1Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Abstract:
Supramolecular polymers have unique characteristics such as self-healing and easy processing. However, the scope of their structures is limited to mostly either flexible, random coils or rigid, straight chains. By broadening this scope, novel properties, functions, and applications can be explored. Here, DNA is used as a model system to engineer innovative, nanoscaled morphologies of supramolecular polymers. Each polymer chain consists of multiple copies of the same short (38-46 nucleotides long) DNA strand. The component DNA strands first dimerize into homo-dimers, which then further assemble into long polymer chains. By subtly tuning the design, a range of polymer morphologies are obtained; including straight chains, spirals, and closed rings with finite sizes. Such structures are confirmed by AFM imaging and predicted by molecular coarse simulation.
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