Materials World Network: Self-Assembled DNA Nanotubes: Biomimetic Design, Controlled Surface Alignment and Templated Nanowire Formation

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The co-PIs Yan and Mertig will coordinate the management of the project and monitor the research progress. While email exchange will happen between the two co-PIs on a daily basis, regular biweekly meetings between the two groups will be held through tele-video-conference. Tasks will be assigned to the two groups to avoid any overlapping efforts. The Yan group will be in charge of the design, selfassembly and characterization of a group of spiral DNA tubes. The Mertig groups will be in charge of the measurement of the mechanical properties of the DNA tubes, surface alignment and metallization of various DNA nanotubes (including the newly designed spiral tube and previously reported DNA tubes). Knowledge gained from either side will be transfer between the two groups to ensure the reproducibility of the results and efficient implementation of improved designs. To achieve an efficient and fruitful international collaboration, we plan to exchange graduate students between the two laboratories. We plan to send students to each other’s lab twice a year. Budget for student travel has been requested. Table below lists major milestones for the proposed research. Y1 A: Design, of spiral DNA nanotubes with controlled diameter, helical pitch and helical chirality (Yan); B:Structure characterization of the tubes: AFM (Yan), TEM and cryo-TEM (Mertig); C: Use of the initiallyachieved spiral tubes as templates for metallization (Mertig).Y2 A: Optimize the growth of spiral DNA tubes to increased length (Yan); B: Measure the flexural rigidity of the spiral DNA tubes. (Mertig); C: Align various DNA nanotubes into 2D networks (Yan & Mertig) and improve the metallization of DNA tubes with different metals (Mertig).Y3 A: Decoration of the tube with nanoclusters with controlled geometries (Yan & Mertig); B: Structural and electrical characterization of the hybrid structures (Mertig)