DNA is an excellent building block for the construction of nanoscale devices, due to its highly programmable structure, well defined structural features, and ease of functionalization. This allows for DNA to be used as a scaffolding material to site-specifically incorporate, with nanoscale precision, functional elements onto DNA nanostructures such as nanoparticles, antibodies, and enzymes. Several published studies have demonstrated that enzymes attached to DNA nanostructures have enhanced catalytic activity, relative to free enzymes in solution. It is believed that the poly-anionic surfaces of DNA nanostructures stabilize the enzymes attached to them, causing the enzymes to catalyze their reactions at an enhanced rate, as well as protecting them from degradation. Although these effects have been known for some time, there has been no detailed studies into why this phenomena occurs. We hypothesize that these observed effects are tied to the density of DNA surrounding the enzyme. In this work, we plan on studying the effects of molecular crowding, caused by DNA, on the activity and stability of enzymes. Studies have shown that molecular crowding has a profound impact on enzyme structure, by restricting the available volume around enzymes, and affecting the structure of water molecules responsible for solvating them. To study this, we will employ what is known as the hybridization chain reaction, to grow varying densities of DNA around several model enzymes, and study the observed effects on the activity of the enzymes, as well as the resistance of these enzymes to degradation by both chemical and physical methods.

DNA crowding effects on the activity and stability of enzymes

252nd National Meeting (2016)

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