Supramolecular 1-D polymerization of DNA origami through a dynamic process at the 2-dimensionally confined air–water interface

Abstract

In this study, a Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) system has been utilized for the regulation of polymerization of a DNA origami structure at the air–water interface as a two-dimensionally confined medium, which enables dynamic condensation of DNA origami units through variation of the film area at the macroscopic level (ca. 10–100 cm²). DNA origami sheets were conjugated with a cationic lipid (dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide, 2C₁₈N⁺) by electrostatic interaction and the corresponding LB-film was prepared. By applying dynamic pressure variation through compression–expansion processes, the lipid-modified DNA origami sheets underwent anisotropic polymerization forming a one-dimensionally assembled belt-shaped structure of a high aspect ratio although the thickness of the polymerized DNA origami was maintained at the unimolecular level. This approach opens up a new field of mechanical induction of the self-assembly of DNA origami structures.