Assembly of DNA-Functionalized Nanoparticles in Alcoholic Solvents Reveals Opposite Thermodynamic and Kinetic Trends for DNA Hybridization
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Date
2010-05-12
Authors
Smith, Brendan D.
Liu, Juewen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Abstract
DNA has been a key molecule in biotechnology and nanotechnology. To date, the majority of the experiments involving DNA have been performed in aqueous solutions, which may be related to the perception that DNA hybridization is slower and less stable in organic solvents. All studies on the effect of organic solvents have focused on thermodynamic properties such as DNA melting temperature and the B-to-A form transition for very long DNAs, but not on the hybridization kinetics of short synthetic DNAs. We employed DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a model system and found that if the alcohol content is less than ∼30%, more alcohol leads to a faster DNA hybridization, although with a decreased melting temperature. The generality of this observation was independently verified with two molecular beacon systems (in the absence of AuNPs) using fluorophore and quencher-labeled DNAs. With 25% ethanol, the hybridization rates are three to four times faster than in the case with water. This discovery will extend the application of DNA bio- and nanotechnology to organic solvents with improved performance.
Description
This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of the American Chemical Society, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by publisher. To access the final edited and published work see Smith, B. D., & Liu, J. (2010). Assembly of DNA-Functionalized Nanoparticles in Alcoholic Solvents Reveals Opposite Thermodynamic and Kinetic Trends for DNA Hybridization. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 132(18), 6300–6301. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja101973g
Keywords
DNA, Nanoparticles, Hybridization