Multivalent, multiflavored droplets by design
- 27 August 2018
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Vol. 115 (37), 9086-9091
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1718511115
Abstract
Nature self-assembles functional materials by programming flexible linear arrangements of molecules and then folding them to make 2D and 3D objects. To understand and emulate this process, we have made emulsion droplets with specific recognition and controlled valence. Uniquely monovalent droplets form dimers: divalent lead to polymer-like chains, trivalent allow for branching, and programmed mixtures of different valences enable a variety of designed architectures and the ability to subsequently close and open structures. Our functional building blocks are a hybrid of micrometer-scale emulsion droplets and nanoscale DNA origami technologies. Functional DNA origami rafts are first added to droplets and then herded into a patch using specifically designated “shepherding” rafts. Additional patches with the same or different specificities can be formed on the same droplet, programming multiflavored, multivalence droplets. The mobile patch can bind to a patch on another droplet containing complementary functional rafts, leading to primary structure formation. Further binding of nonneighbor droplets can produce secondary structures, a third step in hierarchical self-assembly. The use of mobile patches rather than uniform DNA coverage has the advantage of valence control at the expense of slow kinetics. Droplets with controlled flavors and valences enable a host of different material and device architectures.Funding Information
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE DE-SC0007991)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE CBES)
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF3849)
- National Science Foundation (EFRI-1332411)
- National Science Foundation (CCF-1526650)
- NSF | MPS | Division of Materials Research (DMR-1420073)
- DOD | United States Army | RDECOM | Army Research Office (MURI W911NF-11-1-0024)
- DOD | United States Navy | ONR | Office of Naval Research Global (MURI N000140911118)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC0007991)
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