Nanoparticle Self-Assembly on a DNA-Scaffold Written by Single-Molecule Cut-and-Paste

• Published in: Nano letters 2008-11, Vol.8 (11), p.3692-3695
• Main Authors: Puchner, Elias M, Kufer, Stefan K, Strackharn, Mathias, Stahl, Stefan W, Gaub, Hermann E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; DNA - chemistry; DNA - ultrastructure; DNA Probes - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Physics; Self-assembly; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl8018627

Self-assembly guided by molecular recognition has in the past been employed to assemble nanoparticle superstructures like hypercrystals or nanoparticle molecules. An alternative approach, the direct molecule-by-molecule assembly of nanoscale superstructures, was demonstrated recently. Here we present a hybrid approach where we first assemble a pattern of binding sites one-by-one at a surface and then allow different nanoparticles to attach by self-assembly. For this approach, biotin bearing DNA oligomers were picked up from a depot using a cDNA strand bound to an AFM tip. These units were deposited in the target area by hybridization, forming a recognition pattern on this surface. Fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles conjugated with streptavidin were allowed to assemble on this scaffold and to form the final nanoparticle superstructures.