An ion-controlled four-color fluorescent telomeric switch on DNA origami structures

Nanoscale. 2016 May 21;8(19):10339-47. doi: 10.1039/c6nr00119j. Epub 2016 May 3.

Abstract

The folding of single-stranded telomeric DNA into guanine (G) quadruplexes is a conformational change that plays a major role in sensing and drug targeting. The telomeric DNA can be placed on DNA origami nanostructures to make the folding process extremely selective for K(+) ions even in the presence of high Na(+) concentrations. Here, we demonstrate that the K(+)-selective G-quadruplex formation is reversible when using a cryptand to remove K(+) from the G-quadruplex. We present a full characterization of the reversible switching between single-stranded telomeric DNA and G-quadruplex structures using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the dyes fluorescein (FAM) and cyanine3 (Cy3). When attached to the DNA origami platform, the G-quadruplex switch can be incorporated into more complex photonic networks, which is demonstrated for a three-color and a four-color FRET cascade from FAM over Cy3 and Cy5 to IRDye700 with G-quadruplex-Cy3 acting as a switchable transmitter.

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Fluorescent Dyes*
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Ions
  • Telomere / chemistry*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Ions
  • DNA