DNA-templated assembly of nanoscale architectures for next-generation electronic devices.

Department of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

We report the assembly and structural characterization of a Y-shaped DNA template incorporating a central biotin moiety. We also report that this template may be used assemble nanoscale architectures, which demonstrate the potential of this and related approaches to the fabrication of next-generation electronic devices. Of particular significance is the finding that it is possible to selectively metallize the above DNA template to obtain a three-electrode configuration. Also of particular significance is finding that a biotin modified nanoparticle will recognize and bind selectively the central biotin moiety of the same template, once functionalized by the protein streptavidin.

PMID: 16512370 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]