Self-Assembed G-Quadruplex Nanowires for Energy Transfer over Micrometers

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomaterials Science
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• G-quadruplex-based nanowires (G-wires) show potential for advanced nanomaterials.
• Current G-wire assembly methods suffer from discontinuous phosphodiester linkages, limiting stability, growth, and energy transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for producing ultralong G-wires with continuous phosphate backbones.
• To enhance the structural integrity and long-range energy transfer efficiency of G-wires.

Main Methods:

• Utilized hairpin-structured splint strands to template high-yield cyclization of poly(dC) DNA.
• Employed rolling circle amplification to generate ultralong poly(dG) DNA.
• Investigated self-assembly of poly(dG) DNA into micrometer-scale G-wires.
• Assessed long-range energy transfer using thiazole orange (TO) fluorescent probe.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced ultralong poly(dG) DNA that self-assembles into G-wires with continuous phosphate backbones.
• The new G-wires demonstrated significantly enhanced long-range energy transfer compared to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and G-quadruplex monomers.
• The continuous backbone improved structural stability and axial growth potential.

Conclusions:

• A novel method enables the creation of stable, ultralong G-wires with continuous phosphate backbones.
• These improved G-wires offer superior performance for photonic and electronic applications due to enhanced energy transfer.
• The findings overcome key limitations in G-wire assembly and performance.