Single-molecule analysis of DNA base-stacking energetics using patterned DNA nanostructures

The DNA double helix structure is stabilized by base-pairing and base-stacking interactions. However, a comprehensive understanding of dinucleotide base-stacking energetics is lacking. Here we combined multiplexed DNA-based point accumulation in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT) imaging with designer DNA nanostructures and measured the free energy of dinucleotide base stacking at the single-molecule level. Multiplexed imaging enabled us to extract the binding kinetics of an imager strand with and without additional dinucleotide stacking interactions. The DNA-PAINT data showed that a single additional dinucleotide base stacking results in up to 250-fold stabilization for the DNA duplex nanostructure. We found that the dinucleotide base-stacking energies vary from -0.95 ± 0.12 kcal mol^-1 to -3.22 ± 0.04 kcal mol^-1 for C|T and A|C base-stackings, respectively. We demonstrate the application of base-stacking energetics in designing DNA-PAINT probes for multiplexed super-resolution imaging, and efficient assembly of higher-order DNA nanostructures. Our results will aid in designing functional DNA nanostructures, and DNA and RNA aptamers, and facilitate better predictions of the local DNA structure.