Biomimetic Compartments Scaffolded by Nucleic Acid Nanostructures

Peptide-nucleic acid nanostructures for transfection.

Abstract To use nucleic acids in biomedical research and medical applications, these highly hydrophilic macromolecules have to be transported through the organism, targeted to specific cell surfaces, and have to cross cellular barriers. To this end, nanosized transfection complexes have been designed and several of them have been successfully tested. Here, the different steps of the transfectio...

Computer-aided design software for cus- tom nucleic acid nanostructures

Drug delivery systems based on nucleic acid nanostructures.

The field of DNA nanotechnology has progressed rapidly in recent years and hence a large variety of 1D-, 2D- and 3D DNA nanostructures with various sizes, geometries and shapes is readily accessible. DNA-based nanoobjects are fabricated by straight forward design and self-assembly processes allowing the exact positioning of functional moieties and the integration of other materials. At the same...

Targeted Patterning of Nucleic Acid Probes on Optical Nanostructures

Optically resonant devices are promising as biomolecular sensors due to their ability to concentrate electromagnetic energy into small mode volume, high quality factor nanocavities. We present a parylene patterning technique that enables us to localize the biomolecular interactions of interest to the areas of highest optical intensity in such devices, leading to a device with optimal sensitivit...

Biomimetic gyroid nanostructures exceeding their natural origins

Using optical two-beam lithography with improved resolution and enhanced mechanical strength, we demonstrate the replication of gyroid photonic nanostructures found in the butterfly Callophrys rubi. These artificial structures are shown to have size, controllability, and uniformity that are superior to those of their biological counterparts. In particular, the elastic Young's modulus of fabrica...