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Characterization of 3D DNA Assemblies Using Cryogenic Electron Microscopy

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Chemical Research in Chinese Universities Aims and scope

Abstract

DNA nanotechnology utilizes DNA double strands as building units for self-assembly of DNA nanostructures. The specific base-pairing interaction between DNA molecules is the basis of these assemblies. After decades of development, this technology has been able to construct complex and programmable structures. With the increase in delicate nature and complexity of the synthesized nanostructures, a characterization technology that can observe these structures in three dimensions has become necessary, and developing such a technology is considerably challenging. DNA assemblies have been studied using different characterization methods including atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). However, the three-dimensional(3D) DNA assemblies always collapse locally due to the dehydration during the drying process. Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM) can overcome the challenge by maintaining three-dimensional morphologies of the cryogenic samples and reconstruct the 3D models from cryogenic samples accordingly by collecting thousands of two-dimensional(2D) projection images, which can restore their original morphologies in solution. Here, we have reviewed several typical cases of 3D DNA-assemblies and highlighted the applications of cryo-EM in characterization of these assemblies. By comparing with some other characterization methods, we have shown how cryo-EM promoted the development of structural characterization in the field of DNA nanotechnology.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the team members of Zhangjiang Lab National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai(Electron Microscopy System) for their instrument support and technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, P. R. China

    Mingyang Wang, Xiaodong Xin & Zheng Li

  2. Shenzhen Research Institute, Nanjing University, Shenzhen, 518057, P. R. China

    Mingyang Wang & Ye Tian

  3. College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China

    Mingyang Wang, Lizhi Dai, Xiaodong Xin & Ye Tian

  4. National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai, Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China

    Jialin Duan & Fangfang Wang

  5. School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, P. R. China

    Zheng Li

  6. Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China

    Ye Tian

Authors
  1. Mingyang Wang
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  2. Jialin Duan
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  3. Lizhi Dai
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  4. Xiaodong Xin
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  5. Fangfang Wang
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  6. Zheng Li
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  7. Ye Tian
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zheng Li or Ye Tian.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11835008, 21971109, 21834004), the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFF0105000), the Special Project of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan National Independent Innovation Demonstration Area, China (Nos. 2017GK2293, 2018XK2303), the Jiangsu Youth Fund, China(No. BK20180337), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China(No.14380151), the Program for Innovative Talents and Entrepreneur in Jiangsu Province, China(No.133181), the Shenzhen International Cooperation Research Project, China(No. GJHZ20180930090602235) and the Nanjing Science and Technology Innovation Project for Oversea Scholars’ Merit Funding, China (No. 133170).

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Wang, M., Duan, J., Dai, L. et al. Characterization of 3D DNA Assemblies Using Cryogenic Electron Microscopy. Chem. Res. Chin. Univ. 36, 227–236 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40242-020-9107-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40242-020-9107-4

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