An 8-bit monochrome palette of fluorescent nucleic acid sequences for DNA-based painting

The ability to regulate, maintain and reproduce fluorogenic properties is a fundamental prerequisite of modern molecular diagnostics, nanotechnology and bioimaging. The sequence-dependence of the fluorescence properties in fluorophores commonly used in nucleic acid labelling is here being exploited to assemble a color scale in 256 shades of green Cy3 fluorescence. Using photolithography, we synthesize microarrays of labeled nucleic acids that can accurately reproduce 8-bit monochrome graphics by mapping color to fluorescence intensity and sequence. This DNA-based painting approach paves the way for a full RGB scale array fabrication process.