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DNA attachment to polymeric, soft and quantum materials: mechanisms and applications
Mohamad Zandieh1, Jung Heon Lee2, Juewen Liu1
1Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo Waterloo ON N2L 3G1 Canada liujw@uwaterloo.ca.
Chemical Science
|August 8, 2025
Summary
Attaching DNA to soft materials like polydopamine and nanodiamonds enables advanced applications. This review covers DNA adsorption mechanisms and highlights potential in biosensing and drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Polymeric and soft materials offer biocompatibility and high loading capacity.
- Nanodiamonds are emerging quantum materials with ambient temperature applications.
- DNA attachment to materials enables molecular recognition, assembly, and targeting for diverse applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review mechanisms of DNA adsorption onto various metal-free materials.
- To highlight interactions, material properties, and stimuli-responsive systems influencing DNA binding.
- To present applications and future directions in DNA-material interactions.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on DNA adsorption to polydopamine, hydrogels, microplastics, cellulose crystals, nanodiamonds, and carbon quantum dots.
- Analysis of key interactions: π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and metal bridging.
- Discussion of material properties (surface charge, functional groups, wettability) and stimuli-responsive systems (pH, temperature).
Main Results:
- Identified key interactions governing DNA adsorption and release.
- Demonstrated influence of material properties on DNA binding.
- Highlighted stimuli-responsive systems for controlled DNA adsorption/release.
- Showcased sequence-specific aptamers for selective DNA binding.
Conclusions:
- DNA-material interactions offer significant advantages for biomedical, analytical, and environmental fields.
- Controlled DNA adsorption and release are achievable using stimuli-responsive systems.
- Emerging applications include biosensors, intracellular delivery, DNA storage, and surface probing.
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