NER: Exploration of DNA-Based Nanoscale Building Block (DNAnBLOCK) for Controllable and Scalable Fabrication of Active Nanostructures

为了实现当前微制造的功能性、可靠性和可扩展性，基于dna的自组装应该增加其可以构建的纳米结构的复杂性，并控制纳米组件的放置。这一重大障碍背后的关键问题是缺乏对自我组装基本构建模块的控制。本研究探索基于dna的纳米尺度构建块（DNAnBLOCKs），通过dna定向自组装来构建更复杂和可控的纳米结构。DNAnBLOCK是一种基于dna的纳米结构，其链序列、位置和方向是精确控制的，从而实现了“可控”的功能和方向性。有了良好定义的功能和方向性，自组装可以导致具有更大复杂性的精确控制结构。此外，使用的DNA寡核苷酸是非交叉杂交的（NCH），并且将计划外的缺陷和错误最小化。此外，DNAnBLOCK具有三维生长能力和高度可扩展性。因此，本研究解决了纳米技术的迫切需求，即实现比现有技术具有实际用途和更高性能的纳米材料和器件。这项研究将在几个方面有益于社会。从这项研究中获得的信息将使纳米技术更实用、更实用，从而使分子电子工业受益。它也将是一个有用的资源，研究人员在其他应用在生物学，医学和传感器。学生将通过参与这项研究而受到教育。

In order to achieve the functionality, reliability, and scalability of current microfabrication, DNA-based self-assembly should increase complexity of the nanostructures that it can construct, and control over nanocomponent placement. The key problem behind this significant hurdle is the lack of control over fundamental building blocks for self-assembly. This research explores DNA-based nanoscale building blocks (DNAnBLOCKs) to construct more complicated and controlled nanostructures through DNA-directed self-assembly. The DNAnBLOCK is a DNA-based nanostructure, in which strand sequence, location, and orientation are precisely controlled, enabling the 'controlled' functionality and directionality. With the well-defined functionality and directionality, self-assembly can lead to precisely controlled structures with greater complexity. In addition, DNA oligonucleotides used are non-crosshybridizing (NCH), and unplanned defects and errors are minimized. Furthermore, the DNAnBLOCK is capable of three-dimensional growth and is highly scalable. Thus, this research addresses the urgent need in nanotechnology to realize nanoscale materials and devices that have practical use and more capability than existing technologies. This research will benefit the society in several areas. Information gained from the research would benefit molecular electronic industries by making nanotechnology more practical and more functional. It would also be a useful resource to the researchers in other applications in biology, medicine, and sensors. Students will be educated through involvement in this research.