Volume 58, Issue 10 pp. 3042-3047
Communication

“Printing” DNA Strand Patterns on Small Molecules with Control of Valency, Directionality, and Sequence

Tuan Trinh

Tuan Trinh

Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 rue Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8 Canada

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Daniel Saliba

Daniel Saliba

Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 rue Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8 Canada

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Dr. Chenyi Liao

Dr. Chenyi Liao

Deparment of Chemistry, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405 USA

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Donatien de Rochambeau

Donatien de Rochambeau

Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 rue Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8 Canada

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Alexander Lee Prinzen

Alexander Lee Prinzen

Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 rue Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8 Canada

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Prof. Jianing Li

Prof. Jianing Li

Deparment of Chemistry, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405 USA

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Prof. Hanadi F. Sleiman

Corresponding Author

Prof. Hanadi F. Sleiman

Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 rue Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8 Canada

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First published: 05 October 2018
Citations: 18

Graphical Abstract

Breaking symmetry: A highly modular method to covalently transfer different DNA sequences with controllable directionality, length, and valency onto different synthetic molecules is reported. These DNA-imprinted small molecules can be elongated asymmetrically to different lengths in high yield using PCR and can be chemically replicated.

Abstract

The incorporation of synthetic molecules as corner units in DNA structures has been of interest over the last two decades. In this work, we present a facile method for generating branched small molecule-DNA hybrids with controllable valency, different sequences, and directionalities (5′–3′) using a “printing” process from a simple 3-way junction structure. We also show that the DNA-imprinted small molecule can be extended asymmetrically using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and can be replicated chemically. This strategy provides opportunities to achieve new structural motifs in DNA nanotechnology and introduce new functionalities to DNA nanostructures.

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