An Atom-Precise Understanding of DNA-Stabilized Silver Nanoclusters

Area of Science:

• * Nanomaterials Science
• * Biophysical Chemistry
• * Molecular Imaging

Background:

• * DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters (Ag_N-DNAs) are sequence-encoded fluorophores whose optical properties depend on size and shape.
• * Ag_N-DNAs offer potential as
• programmable
• emitters for biological imaging due to their small size, bright fluorescence, low toxicity, and cost-effective synthesis.
• * Extending Ag_N-DNAs into the second near-infrared region (NIR-II) is crucial for deep tissue imaging, requiring a deeper understanding of structure-property relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review recent fundamental advances in Ag_N-DNA science, focusing on structure-property relationships.
• * To highlight the discovery of new classes of Ag_N-DNAs with unique compositions and properties, including NIR-II emission.
• * To discuss the potential of Ag_N-DNAs for advanced biomedical imaging applications.

Main Methods:

• * High-throughput synthesis and fluorimetry of Ag_N-DNAs.
• * Detailed analytical studies including mass characterization and crystallography.
• * Combinatorial experiments and machine learning-guided design.

Main Results:

• * Discovery of distinct classes of Ag_N-DNAs with unique cluster core compositions and ligand chemistries through large-scale screening.
• * Identification of chloride-stabilized Ag_N-DNAs enabling ab initio electronic structure calculations and improved stabilization.
• * Observation of diverse structures and properties in near-infrared (NIR) emissive Ag_N-DNAs.

Conclusions:

• * Recent advances have significantly improved the understanding of Ag_N-DNA structure and photophysical properties.
• * New Ag_N-DNA emitters with NIR-II potential are being developed for deep tissue imaging.
• * Proof-of-principle demonstrations show promise for Ag_N-DNAs in targeted fluorescence imaging.