NER: Addressable DNA NanoArrays for Force Spectroscopy of Molecules Relevant to Protein Aggregation

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0508284LaBeanThis proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 04-043, category NER.The PI is planning to utilize DNA-directed self-assembly to fabricate a family of nanoarrays displaying single copies of molecules of interest for measurement of interaction strengths using force spectroscopy. The approach is designed to conduct four specific aims. In Aim 1 the PI will develop synthetic processes enabling the modular preparation of functionalized oligoarenes, where steric bulk, connectivity, and length can be readily varied. In Aim 2, the PI will evaluate the structural properties of derivatized oligoarenes possessing varying lengths and connectivities; to determine the relationship between substituent steric bulk and oligomer structural rigidity; to compare the structural topologies of such systems with the known parameters of peptide secondary. In Aim 3, the PI will attempt to probe for evidence of electronic structures communication within oligoarene arrays, defining how such communication varies with changes in length, connectivity, and rigidity.