Double cohesion in structural DNA nanotechnology.

Double cohesion has proved to be a useful tool to assemble robust 2D arrays of large tiles. Here we present a variety of examples showing the utility of this approach. We apply this principle to the 3 types of 2D lattice sections of arrays whose individual tiles are inherently 3 dimensional, because they contain three vectors that span 3-space. This application includes motifs which are based on the tensegrity triangle, the six-helix bundle motif and on three skewed triple crossover molecules. All of these designs have the potential to form 3 dimensional structures if all three directions of propagation are allowed. If one direction is blunted, 2D arrays form, and all 3 combinations are presented here. In addition, a large parallelogram array that was not attainable previously using single duplex cohesion was also constructed using double cohesion. For comparison, arrays which use another type of double cohesion, double paranemic (PX) cohesion are also presented. Double cohesion of sticky ends proved to be the more effective tool to assemble large motifs into arrays.

Colorimetric detection of thiol-containing amino acids using gold nanoparticles.

This paper reports findings of an investigation of the unusual colorimetric change of gold nanoparticles in the presence of thiol-containing amino acids such as homocysteine, cysteine and glutathione. The colorimetric change for homocysteine exhibits a rate that is about two orders of magnitude higher than that for cysteine, and at least five orders of magnitude higher than that for glutathione. The reactivity is effectively reduced or suppressed by the coexistence of either cysteine or glutathione. It is believed that the reactivity involves encapsulation of the particles by the thiol-containing amino acids which is followed by crosslinking at the encapsulating shells. In comparison with cysteine and glutathione, homocysteine has a slower encapsulating rate but a faster crosslinking rate. Implications of the findings of the interfacial encapsulation and crosslinking reactivities of gold nanoparticles to potential nanoparticle-enhanced analytical detection of thiol-containing amino acids are also briefly discussed.