Patterning nanoparticles with DNA origami

Nanomaterials Complementary DNA strands can be used to assemble nanoparticles through specific connections, but creating multivalent directional connections is still challenging. Xiong et al. used DNA origami—a two-dimensional open square and a three-dimensional tetrahedron framework—to position DNA linkers on nanoparticles. These molecular stamping, or MOST, frames were “inked” with single-stranded DNA that transferred onto a gold nanoparticle bound inside the frame. On release, the particles could then undergo complementary strand binding with smaller gold nanoparticles to form clusters. By using different inks within the frame, gold particles of different sizes could be assembled onto the central particle. The angles between the particles in these heterogeneous clusters could also be controlled through steric effects. ACS Nano. 10.1021/acsnano.0c00607 (2020).