DNA DESIGNER CRYSTALS

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。我们的研究计划旨在利用基于分支DNA的新型大分子构建块作为特定3D结构设计的基础。开发该系统的最终目标是提供一个大分子支架，能够结合、定向和并置各种分子，从细胞大分子到有机导体和光存储组件。我们提出确定三维周期阵列的结构，它代表了这种类型的第一个设计的三维系统。这里的最终目标是使用这些阵列来原型化大分子结晶的一般形式，其中DNA成分形成宿主晶格和所有晶体接触，大分子客体在存在的空腔内排列。该系统可能使先前难以进行这种排序的大分子物种的初始结晶成为可能，并且它也被设计用于分析先前与配体结合的结晶分子，这些配体的存在破坏了它们的常规晶格。在纳米尺度上产生特定结构的能力也应该使我们能够使用这个系统来产生附着在DNA单元上的所谓的货物异分子的有序排列。因此，纳米电子元件在3D中的组织，导致更小和可能更快的计算可能会从这项研究中得到结果

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Our research program is designed to utilize new types of macromolecular building blocks, based on branched DNA, as the basis of specific 3D structural designs. The goal of developing the systems is eventually to provide a macromolecular scaffolding, capable of binding, orienting and juxtaposing a variety of molecules, from cellular macromolecules to organic conductors and optical memory components. We propose to determine the structures of 3D periodic arrays, which represent the first designed 3D systems of this sort. The ultimate goal here is to use these arrays to prototype a general form of macromolecular crystallization, in which the DNA components form the host lattice and all crystalline contacts, and macromolecular guests are aligned within the cavities present. This system is likely to enable the initial crystallization of macromolecular species previously intractable to such ordering, and it is also designed to allow analysis of previously crystallized molecules bound to ligands whose presence disrupts their conventional lattices. The ability to produce specific structures on the nanoscale should also enable us to use this system to produce ordered arrangements of so-called cargo hetero-molecules that are attached to the DNA units. Thus, the organization of nanoelectronic components in 3D, leading to smaller and presumably faster computation will likely result from this research