(Nanowork News) A new technique for building DNA structures at the microscopic level has the potential to advance drug delivery and disease diagnosis, a study suggests.
A team of scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Leicester in the UK has developed an innovative way to customize and enhance DNA origami.
DNA origami is a method of creating nanostructures with incredible precision using DNA strands as building blocks. However, these structures are delicate and can easily break down under biological conditions, such as temperature changes or exposure to certain enzymes found in living organisms.
In a new paper published in Journal of the American Chemical Society (“DNA Origami Functionalization by Triplex-Directed Site-Specific Photo-Cross-Linking”), researchers presented a unique method to make origami structures more robust and versatile in a one-pot reaction through a process known as triple orientation. . Photo cross-connection.
By strategically modifying the DNA strands during the design process, it was possible to introduce additional nucleotide sequences, the building blocks of DNA that serve as attachment points for functional molecules.
Attachment of the molecules was achieved using triplex-forming oligonucleotides carrying a cross-linker. They then used a chemical process involving UVA light to permanently attach these molecules to the shape of the DNA.
A particular advantage of this approach is that it creates “super staples” that serve to weave the structure together. The paper shows that cross-linking with regions outside the origami core dramatically reduces the structure's sensitivity to heat and degradation by enzymes.
Lead author Dr David Rusling, from the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, said: “The potential applications of this technology are vast. The ability to tailor DNA origami structures with specific functions holds tremendous promise for advances in medical treatments and diagnostics.
“We envision a future where DNA origami structures could be used to deliver drugs or DNA directly to diseased cells, or to create highly sensitive diagnostic tools.”
Current applications of DNA origami in the biomedical field include vaccines, biological nanosensors, drug delivery, structural biology, and means of delivering genetic material.
Co-author Dr Andrey Revyakin, formerly of the University of Leicester, said: “My lab has been working for many years to create DNA origami structures that remain functional in real biological applications. “Dr. Rusling’s triple-based method, which “upgrades” the traditional DNA double helix with an additional third strand, stabilizes the DNA shape without affecting the functional modules of the molecule and does so with great precision.”
According to the paper, the new strategy is scalable and cost-effective because it works with existing origami structures, does not require scaffold redesign, and can be achieved with just a single strand of DNA.
Dr. Rusling added: “What’s really exciting about this technique is that it doesn’t change the underlying origami DNA sequence and gives us the ability to use these structures as carriers for synthetic genes.”