Abstract
Double-crossover-like (DXL) molecules are a series of DNA motifs containing two strands with identical or different sequences. These homo- or hetero-dimers can further polymerize into bulk structures through specific hydrogen bonding between sticky ends. DXL molecules have high designability, predictivity and sequence robustness; and their supramolecular polymerization products would easily achieve controllable morphology. In addition, among all available DNA nanomotifs, DXL molecules are small in size so that the cost of DXL-based nanostructures is low. These properties together make DXL-based nanostructures good candidates for patterning, templating, information and matter storage, etc. Herein, we will discuss DXL motifs in terms of the detailed molecular design, and their supramolecular polymerization in various dimensions, and related applications.
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Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by NSF (Nos. CCF-2107393 and CCMI-2025187 to C.M.).
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Biography
Cheng-De Mao received his B.S. degree (1986, chemistry) and Master’s degree (1991, Polymer chemistry) from Peking University and Ph. D. degree (1999, chemistry) from New York University. After completing a postdoctoral training at the Harvard University, he joined the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University in 2002. He leads a DNA nanotechnology group working on DNA/RNA self-assembly, structural determination of biomacromolecules, DNA-directed guest self-assembly, DNA-based molecular lithography, and DNA nanomachines.
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Zhang, CZ., Mao, DK., Paluzzi, V.E. et al. Supramolecular Polymerization of DNA Double-Crossover-Like Motifs in Various Dimensions. Chin J Polym Sci 41, 1501–1507 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-023-2998-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-023-2998-z