Fixation of Functionalized DNA Nanostructures

Licentiate thesis, 2009

This thesis features results from two different studies on a fully addressable non-repetitive network on the nanometre scale, assembled by synthetic DNA molecules. A bio-inspired molecular approach, based on principles of self-assembly, has brought about a paradigm shift in nanoscience, from a top-down to a bottom-up perspective. The studied system in this thesis is a two-dimensional assembly of hexagonal unit cells with the potential of controlling diverse processes, such as energy transfer or chemical synthesis, at the highest precision. The first study proves successful formation of the first generation of this network, a fused bihexagonal structure. The study also illustrates a method of addressing a specific location in the system using triplex recognition. Furthermore, the triplex recognition functions in principle as an information storage device. The second study introduces a fixation strategy based on the principles of click chemistry. By covalently cross-linking a DNA hexagon the stability is markedly increased, creating a module that may readily be adapted as a building block for larger structures.