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DNA nanotechnology

Hot and sticky or cold and aloof

DNA provides more than lock-and-key control of assembly. Careful engineering of hairpins and loops provides the means to control the kinetics of particle assembly, allowing structures to be 'glued' together by heating.

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Figure 1: Protection and deprotection of the sticky ends of DNA.
Figure 2: Linking of particle rings formed using optical trapping5.

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Rotello, V. Hot and sticky or cold and aloof. Nature Mater 8, 539–540 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2483

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