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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
10:23
Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles
Published on: May 8, 2015
Shape-Complementary DNA Scaffold for Programmable Functionalization of Symmetric Protein Assemblies
Kun Zhou1,2,3,4, Yunlong Zhang1, Qiangbin Wang2,5
1Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|August 5, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a DNA scaffold to precisely control protein assembly valency. This method enables site-specific functionalization for applications in biomedicine and bioengineering.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Precise control over protein assembly is crucial for functionalization, pattern recognition, and self-organization.
- Current methods for regulating protein assembly interactions and spatial positioning have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a generalizable strategy for regulating the valency of symmetric protein assemblies using DNA scaffolds.
- To demonstrate site-specific addressability for DNA-mediated binding and functional labeling of protein assemblies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized shape-complementary DNA scaffolds to regulate protein assembly valency.
- Demonstrated controlled transfer of streptavidin-DNA conjugates from a DNA nanostructure to a recombinant tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) disk.
- Engineered DNA motifs on the TMV disk periphery to specify number, sequence, and spatial arrangement.
Main Results:
- Successfully regulated the valency of symmetric protein assemblies.
- Achieved site-specific addressability by controlling DNA motif placement on the TMV disk.
- Enabled precise functional labeling through DNA-mediated binding.
Conclusions:
- The developed DNA scaffold strategy offers a versatile platform for high-fidelity valency engineering in diverse protein modules.
- This approach has potential applications in biomedical and bioengineering fields, including targeted drug delivery and biosensing.
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