Crystal structure of a continuous three-dimensional DNA lattice.
Paukstelis, P.J., Nowakowski, J., Birktoft, J.J., Seeman, N.C.(2004) Chem Biol 11: 1119-1126
- PubMed: 15324813
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2004.05.021
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
1P1Y - PubMed Abstract:
DNA has proved to be a versatile material for the rational design and assembly of nanometer scale objects. Here we report the crystal structure of a continuous three-dimensional DNA lattice formed by the self-assembly of a DNA 13-mer. The structure consists of stacked layers of parallel helices with adjacent layers linked through parallel-stranded base pairing. The hexagonal lattice geometry contains solvent channels that appear large enough to allow 3'-linked guest molecules into the crystal. We have successfully used these parallel base pairs to design and produce crystals with greatly enlarged solvent channels. This lattice may have applications as a molecular scaffold for structure determination of guest molecules, as a molecular sieve, or in the assembly of molecular electronics. Predictable non-Watson-Crick base pairs, like those described here, may present a new tool in structural DNA nanotechnology.
Organizational Affiliation:
Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A4800, Austin, Texas 78712, USA. paul@intron.icmb.utexas.edu