A central goal of self-assembly and supramolecular chemistry is todesign complex, dynamic molecular assemblies with defined shape,orientation and position.  While DNA-based techniques such as DNAorigami have enabled the self-assembly of intricate, programmedshapes, the design of dynamic DNA-based self-assembly processes, wherewe control the assembly process as well as the final product, arestill challenging.  Such techniques would allow the assembly ofmaterials that can, for example, change shape or reassemble.We report the control of DNA nanotube assembly using designed 'seed'structures, self-assembled 'origami' structures bearing ananotube-like facet.  We show via time-lapse fluorescence and atomicforce microscopy that in the presence of seeds, nanotubes nucleateprimarily from seeds and grow via elongation at their free end.  Bypositioning seeds we can also direct nanotube growth at definedlocations.  Such a process could be used to, for example, direct thein-position assembly of scaffolds for nanowires.

Directed growth of DNA tile nanotubes from self-assembled seed structures

244th National Meeting (2012)

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