Abstract
Besides being a passive carrier of genetic information, DNA can also serve as an architecture template for the synthesis of novel fluorescent nanomaterials that are arranged in a highly organized network of functional entities such as fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). Only a few atoms in size, the properties of AgNCs can be tuned using a variety of templating DNA sequences, overhangs, and neighboring duplex regions. In this study, we explore the properties of AgNCs manufactured on a short DNA sequence-an individual element designed for a construction of a larger DNA-based functional assembly. The effects of close proximity of the double-stranded DNA, the directionality of templating single-stranded sequence, and conformational heterogeneity of the template are presented. We observe differences between designs containing the same AgNC templating sequence-twelve consecutive cytosines, (dC) 12 . AgNCs synthesized on a single “basic” templating element, (dC) 12 , emit in “red”. The addition of double-stranded DNA core, required for the larger assemblies, changes optical properties of the silver nanoclusters by adding a new population of clusters emitting in “green”. A new population of “blue” emitting clusters forms only when ssDNA templating sequence is placed on the 50 end of the double-stranded core. We also compare properties of silver nanoclusters, which were incorporated into a dimeric structure-a first step towards a larger assembly.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Article number | 613 |
Journal | Nanomaterials |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2019 |
Keywords
- Cytosine rich sequences
- Fluorescence
- I-motif DNA
- Silver nanoclusters
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemical Engineering
- General Materials Science