Molecular architectonics of DNA for functional nanoarchitectures

DNA is the key biomolecule central to almost all processes in living organisms. The eccentric idea of utilizing DNA as a material building block in molecular and structural engineering led to the creation of numerous molecular-assembly systems and materials at the nanoscale. The molecular structure of DNA is believed to have evolved over billions of years, with structure and stability optimizations that allow life forms to sustain through the storage and transmission of genetic information with fidelity. The nanoscale structural characteristics of DNA (2 nm thickness and ca. 40–50 nm persistence length) have inspired the creation of numerous functional patterns and architectures through noncovalent conventional and unconventional base pairings as well as through mutual templating-interactions with small organic molecules and metal ions. The recent advancements in structural DNA nanotechnology allowed researchers to design new DNA-based functional materials with chemical and biological properties distinct from their parent components. The modulation of structural and functional properties of hybrid DNA ensembles of small functional molecules (SFMs) and short oligonucleotides by adapting the principles of molecular architectonics enabled the creation of novel DNA nanoarchitectures with potential applications, which has been termed as templated DNA nanotechnology or functional DNA nanoarchitectonics. This review highlights the molecular architectonics-guided design principles and applications of the derived DNA nanoarchitectures. The advantages and ability of functional DNA nanoarchitectonics to overcome the trivial drawbacks of classical DNA nanotechnology to fulfill realistic and practical applications are highlighted, and an outlook on future developments is presented.

Download Full-text

Chemically Fueled Assembly of Macrocycles Comprising Multiple Transient Bonds

10.26434/chemrxiv.11426007.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain ◽

Joshua Atkinson ◽

Scott Hartley

Keyword(s):

Covalent Bond ◽

Dicarboxylic Acids ◽

Molecular Assembly ◽

Chemical Systems ◽

Complex Architectures ◽

The Creation ◽

Dynamic Exchange

Dissipative (nonequilibrium) assembly powered by chemical fuels has great potential for the creation of new adaptive chemical systems. However, while molecular assembly at equilibrium is routinely used to prepare complex architectures from polyfunctional monomers, species formed out of equilibrium have, to this point, been structurally very simple. In most examples the fuel simply effects the formation of a single transient covalent bond. Here, we show that chemical fuels can assemble bifunctional components into macrocycles containing multiple transient bonds. Specifically, dicarboxylic acids give aqueous dianhydride macrocycles on treatment with a carbodiimide. The macrocycle is assembled efficiently as a consequence of both fuel-dependent and -independent mechanisms: it undergoes slower decomposition, building up as the fuel recycles the components, and is a favored product of the dynamic exchange of the anhydride bonds. These results create new possibilities for generating structurally sophisticated out-of-equilibrium species.

Download Full-text

Chemically Fueled Assembly of Macrocycles Comprising Multiple Transient Bonds

10.26434/chemrxiv.11426007 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain ◽

Joshua Atkinson ◽

Scott Hartley

Keyword(s):

Covalent Bond ◽

Dicarboxylic Acids ◽

Molecular Assembly ◽

Chemical Systems ◽

Complex Architectures ◽

The Creation ◽

Dynamic Exchange

Download Full-text

Structural features and strength behavior of TRIP/TWIP steels

Perspektivnye Materialy ◽

10.30791/1028-978x-2020-9-5-18 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 5-18

Author(s):

D. V. Prosvirnin ◽

◽

M. S. Larionov ◽

S. V. Pivovarchik ◽

A. G. Kolmakov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Chemical Composition ◽

Thermomechanical Processing ◽

Maximum Load ◽

Structural Features ◽

Stacking Fault ◽

Stacking Fault Energy ◽

Structural And Functional Properties ◽

Twip Steels ◽

The Creation

A review of the literature data on the structural features of TRIP / TWIP steels, their relationship with mechanical properties and the relationship of strength parameters under static and cyclic loading was carried out. It is shown that the level of mechanical properties of such steels is determined by the chemical composition and processing technology (thermal and thermomechanical processing, hot and cold pressure treatment), aimed at achieving a favorable phase composition. At the atomic level, the most important factor is stacking fault energy, the level of which will be decisive in the formation of austenite twins and / or the formation of strain martensite. By selecting the chemical composition, it is possible to set the stacking fault energy corresponding to the necessary mechanical characteristics. In the case of cyclic loads, an important role is played by the strain rate and the maximum load during testing. So at high loading rates and a load approaching the yield strength under tension, the intensity of the twinning processes and the formation of martensite increases. It is shown that one of the relevant ways to further increase of the structural and functional properties of TRIP and TWIP steels is the creation of composite materials on their basis. At present, surface modification and coating, especially by ion-vacuum methods, can be considered the most promising direction for the creation of such composites.

Download Full-text

The Helicity of a DNA-2’-Fluoro DNA Hybrid Duplex Structure

International Journal of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine ◽

10.33140/ijnn/02/01/00005 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Keyword(s):

Double Helix ◽

Dna Nanotechnology ◽

Helical Structure ◽

Hydrogen Atoms ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Hybrid Duplex ◽

Dna Backbone ◽

Helical Turn ◽

Dna 2 ◽

Structural Dna Nanotechnology

Structural DNA nanotechnology is a system whereby branched DNA molecules are fashioned into objects, or 1D, 2D and 3D lattices, as well as nanomechanical devices. Normally, one is dealing with the usual B-form DNA molecule, but variations on this theme can lead to alterations in both the structures and the properties of the constructs. 2’-Fluoro DNA (FDNA), wherein one of the hydrogen atoms of the 2’ carbon is replaced by a fluorine atom, is a minimal steric perturbation on the structure of the DNA backbone. The helical structure of this duplex is of great interest for applications in structural DNA nanotechnology, because the DNA-FDNA hybrid assumes an A-form double helix, without the instabilities associated with RNA. Here we have used an atomic force microscopic method to estimate the helicity of DNA-FDNA hybrids, and we find that the structure contains 11.8 nucleotide pairs per helical turn with an error of ± 0.6 nucleotide pairs, similar to other A-form molecules.

Download Full-text

Structural and functional properties of a probabilistic model of neuronal connectivity in a simple locomotor network

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.33281 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andrea Ferrario ◽

Robert Merrison-Hort ◽

Stephen R Soffe ◽

Roman Borisyuk

Keyword(s):

Probabilistic Model ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Brain Connectivity ◽

Rhythmic Activity ◽

Neuronal Dynamics ◽

Structural And Functional Properties ◽

Network Properties ◽

Functional Features ◽

Experimental Findings ◽

Spiking Model

Although, in most animals, brain connectivity varies between individuals, behaviour is often similar across a species. What fundamental structural properties are shared across individual networks that define this behaviour? We describe a probabilistic model of connectivity in the hatchling Xenopus tadpole spinal cord which, when combined with a spiking model, reliably produces rhythmic activity corresponding to swimming. The probabilistic model allows calculation of structural characteristics that reflect common network properties, independent of individual network realisations. We use the structural characteristics to study examples of neuronal dynamics, in the complete network and various sub-networks, and this allows us to explain the basis for key experimental findings, and make predictions for experiments. We also study how structural and functional features differ between detailed anatomical connectomes and those generated by our new, simpler, model (meta-model).

Download Full-text

Malaysian Palm Oil For Carbon Nanotubes Preparation

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.667.343 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 667 ◽

pp. 343-348

Author(s):

A.A. Azira ◽

N.F.A. Zainal ◽

S.F. Nik ◽

F. Mohamed ◽

T. Soga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Nanotubes ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Potential Application ◽

General Public ◽

Functional Materials ◽

Nanometer Scale ◽

Length Scale ◽

Physical Chemical ◽

The Creation

Carbon nanotubes The discovery of ‘fullerenes’ added a new dimension to the knowledge of carbon science1; and the discovery of ‘carbon nanotubes’ (CNTs, elongated fullerene) added a new dimension to knowledge of technology2. Today, ‘nanotechnology’ is a hot topic attracting scientist, industrialists, journalist, governments, and even the general public. Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices and systems through control of matter on the nanometer scale and the exploitation of novel phenomena and properties of matter (physical, chemical, biological, electrical, etc.) at that length scale. CNTs are supposed to be the key component of nanotechnology. Almost every week a new potential application of CNTs is identified, stimulating scientists to peep into this tiny tube with ever increasing curiosity.

Download Full-text

Programmable self-propelling actuators enabled by a dynamic helical medium

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.abh3505 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (32) ◽

pp. eabh3505

Author(s):

Ling-Ling Ma ◽

Chao Liu ◽

Sai-Bo Wu ◽

Peng Chen ◽

Quan-Ming Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Photon Energy ◽

Power Transmission ◽

Functional Materials ◽

Molecular Assembly ◽

Unique Case ◽

Self Organized ◽

Orbital Revolution ◽

Intelligent Robotics

Rotation-translation conversion is a popular way to achieve power transmission in machinery, but it is rarely selected by nature. One unique case is that of bacteria swimming, which is based on the collective reorganization and rotation of flagella. Here, we mimic such motion using the light-driven evolution of a self-organized periodic arch pattern. The range and direction of translation are altered by separately varying the alignment period and the stimulating photon energy. Programmable self-propelling actuators are realized via a specific molecular assembly within a photoresponsive cholesteric medium. Through rationally presetting alignments, parallel transports of microspheres in customized trajectories are demonstrated, including convergence, divergence, gathering, and orbital revolution. This work extends the understanding of the rotation-translation conversion performed in an exquisitely self-organized system and may inspire future designs for functional materials and intelligent robotics.

Download Full-text

Мastering and modernization of physico-chemical processes of synthesis of oxide compounds with structure of pyrochlorine

Collected scientific works of Ukrainian State University of Railway Transport ◽

10.18664/1994-7852.197.2021.248097 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 82-98

Author(s):

Volodymyr Oleksiyovych Chyshkala ◽

Serhii Volodymyrovych Lytovchenko ◽

Edwin Spartakovych Gevorkyan ◽

Volodymyr Pavlovych Nerubatskyi ◽

Bogdan Оlexandrovych Mazilin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Technologies ◽

Technological Development ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Human Life ◽

Structural Phase ◽

Phase Evolution ◽

Synthesis Temperature ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Zirconium Oxides ◽

The Creation

Modern scientific and technological development of society, further intensification of production together with the provision of proper safety of human life and preservation of the environment necessitate the search for new solutions in the creation of new materials and technologies. The creation of effective materials for the latest and future technologies and technicaldevices is based on new scientific data on the definition and analysis of specific mechanisms of physicochemical processes that implement the desired structural and phase state of solids with the desired set of properties. In recent decades, the most effective way to control the properties of solid materials is the use of nanotechnology and nanomaterials, which have recently been increasingly used in almost all areas of new technologies. The article investigates synthesis processes, structural characteristics and structural-phase processes in multicomponent metal-ceramic oxide materials, physicochemical mechanisms ofsynthesi s of multielement oxide compounds Y2Zr2O7 with pyrochlor structure during consolidation and sintering of yttrium and zirconium oxides, structure formation -phase characteristics of materials with different chemical composition. The structural-phase evolution in the synthesis of new substances and the consolidation of compounds of the Y2O3 – ZrO2 system have been studied. Samples of oxide heat with the proportion of pyrochlorine phase Y2Zr2O7 up to 41 % were obtained. It is established that the kinetics of increasing the proportion of pyrochlorine phase in the samples indicates a desirable increase in the activity of the chemical reaction, which can be achieved by increasing the synthesis temperature to the temperatures of eutectic formation or increasing the reaction surface of powders.

Download Full-text

The biological applications of DNA nanomaterials: current challenges and future directions

Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy ◽

10.1038/s41392-021-00727-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Wenjuan Ma ◽

Yuxi Zhan ◽

Yuxin Zhang ◽

Chenchen Mao ◽

Xueping Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Self Assembly ◽

Drug Carrier ◽

Genetic Material ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Real Life ◽

Dna Nanotechnology ◽

Structural Development ◽

Biological Applications ◽

Dna Materials ◽

Functional Dna

AbstractDNA, a genetic material, has been employed in different scientific directions for various biological applications as driven by DNA nanotechnology in the past decades, including tissue regeneration, disease prevention, inflammation inhibition, bioimaging, biosensing, diagnosis, antitumor drug delivery, and therapeutics. With the rapid progress in DNA nanotechnology, multitudinous DNA nanomaterials have been designed with different shape and size based on the classic Watson–Crick base-pairing for molecular self-assembly. Some DNA materials could functionally change cell biological behaviors, such as cell migration, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, autophagy, and anti-inflammatory effects. Some single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) or RNAs with secondary structures via self-pairing, named aptamer, possess the ability of targeting, which are selected by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and applied for tumor targeted diagnosis and treatment. Some DNA nanomaterials with three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures and stable structures are investigated as drug carrier systems to delivery multiple antitumor medicine or gene therapeutic agents. While the functional DNA nanostructures have promoted the development of the DNA nanotechnology with innovative designs and preparation strategies, and also proved with great potential in the biological and medical use, there is still a long way to go for the eventual application of DNA materials in real life. Here in this review, we conducted a comprehensive survey of the structural development history of various DNA nanomaterials, introduced the principles of different DNA nanomaterials, summarized their biological applications in different fields, and discussed the current challenges and further directions that could help to achieve their applications in the future.

Download Full-text