Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Author Spotlight: Developing Synthetic Cells from Programmable Amphiphilic DNA Nanostructures
Published on: May 31, 2024
Studies on the Synergistic Effect of Tandem Semi-Stable Complementary Domains on Sequence-Defined DNA Block
Xin Li1, Xiaobin Dai2, Yufan Pan1
1Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rare Earth Materials (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Abstract:
Tandem semi-stable complementary domains play an important role in life, while the role of these domains in the folding process of nucleic acid molecules has not been systematically studied. Here, we designed a clean model system by synthesizing sequence-defined DNA-OEG copolymers composed of ssDNA fragments with palindromic sequences and orthogonal oligo(tetraethylene glycol) (OEG) linkers. By altering the lengths of DNA units (6-12 nt) and OEG linkers (Xn = 0-4) separately, we systematically studied how stabilities of tandem complementary domains and connecting flexibilities affect the assembly topology. Combining experimental methods and coarse-grained molecular simulation analysis, distributions of multiple assembled conformations (mainly monomers, dimers, and clusters) were characterized. Both results indicated that tandem semi-stable complementary domains tend to form homogeneous closed circular dimers instead of larger clusters due to the synergistic enhancement effect, and the distributions of each conformation highly depend on flexibilities.
Related Concept Videos
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers
Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins
Complementary DNA
Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators
Next-generation Sequencing
Next-Generation Sequencing Methods
Although all next-generation methods use different technologies, they all share a set of standard features....
Translesion DNA Polymerases
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...

