Tuning the Effective Interactions between Spherical Double-Stranded DNA Brushes

We present an experimental investigation of the mechanisms that can be used to control blunt-end induced effective attractions between densely packed spherical double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) brushes. Using microscopy and particle tracking, we determine effects varying parameters controlling brush dsDNA fragment conformation, in particular functionality, salinity, length. The analysis structure dynamics increasingly concentrated dispersions reveals a decrease functionality or increase salt content leads progressive reduction attractions. For this associated with surface density blunt-end, while for backfolding. We, therefore, reveal means blunt-end-induced interactions could guide colloidal self-assembly based on base stacking, parallel platform pairing.