DNA Nanoparticles and their

Applications

Alyssa Green

ENGR 1050
Introduction to Nanotechnology
March 23, 2016

DNA nanoparticles are part of our lives on a daily basis; they have
become an integrated part of new technology. DNA nanoparticles and
nanotechnology are ever present today as we search for ways to develop
newer and better devices. DNA nanoparticles are pieces of DNA stands
where base pairs have been altered. However, DNA nanotechnology dates
back to the 1980s and was created by Nadrian Seeman. DNA nanoparticles
and nanotechnology as indicated above were created for technological uses.
DNA nanoparticles are about the same size as a carbon nanotube ranging
from one to three nanometers in size; which makes them popular with
nanoengineers. The popularity is due to their small size making newer
innovations possible. DNA also has many unique features that add to its
popularity. One of the unique features DNA has strands and pieces of the
DNA strands have been manipulated to form DNA nanoparticles. DNA
nanoparticles are built from three groups: sugars, phosphate groups, and
base pairs also known as nucleotides.
Nucleotide base pairs are, adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine,
these are the basis for DNA nanotechnology. Different shapes of
nanoparticles are formed through different combinations of bases pairs to
form structures other than the double helix. These base pair structures
construct geometric and topographical targets. As the nucleotides pair in in
each intermediary step the particles have different shapes as they transition
from DNA strands to DNA nanoparticles. These shapes include the double
cross over, branch migration, and DNA junctions. When DNA nanoparticles
form one shape this is known as a dynamic combination. DNA nanoparticles
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are important as they form one type of single dynamic combination in a

single solution. However if a control strand is introduced they can form
multiple types of dynamic combinations in a single solution. These multiple
dynamic combinations can operate independently in a solution, this
enhances their popularity and is the basis for their use in technological fields.
The creation of nanoparticles and specifically multiple dynamic
combinations is Chemistry and more specifically kinetics. The dynamic
assembly of these structures is directly related to kinetics through the
reaction mechanism. The reaction mechanism is what allows nanoparticles to
self-assemble. Each intermediary step and reaction intermediary helps
determine what DNA nanoparticle will be formed and if a single dynamic
combination will form or if multiple dynamic combinations will form, if one of
these intermediaries is a control strand. The number and types of steps in a
specific reaction mechanism ultimately determine the resulting DNA
nanoparticle product. In order to make these DNA nanoparticle structures
most start with a hairpin structure and finally form a cascade reaction. This
reaction mechanism is what creates each individual structure that can then
be used for other purposes, such as molecular robots and drug delivery
devices. These reactions determine how the base pairs will line up and what
shape they will ultimately form. The shape they form is a result of the
combination of individual strands that have been displaced in the reaction.
This displacement leads to a new sequence resulting in a cascade where the
new sequence forms a new reaction mechanism. This altered reaction

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mechanism forms new dynamic combinations and new chemical networks for
nanoengineers to use.
A fundamental principle of DNA nanotechnology and nanoparticles is
based in biology. DNA is the Basis for the nanoparticles and their
technological applications. DNA is used because of the rules of base pairing
and the ability to control their structure. Researchers and nanoengineers are
able to manipulate these base pairs to design the nanoscale structure they
want.
The specific structure of DNA nanoparticles depends on what we want
to make with them. To change the structure of the DNA it must go through
the denaturation process which is heating the DNA strand to extremely high
temperatures. Once denatured the DNA can fold and form different
structures as they cool. These shapes are based on the reaction mechanism
formed from the denatured DNA and cooling process. These altered base pair
structures inhibit hybridization of DNA and cause folding that forms 2D and
3D DNA nanoparticle structures. An early example is the ability of the B-DNA
and Z-DNA to combine to form different nanoparticle structures. This early
example helped develop the idea of not only combining DNA strands but also
control stands to develop a larger range of shapes of DNA nanoparticles that
arent naturally occurring nanoparticles to increase the functionalities of DNA
nanoparticles. This led to devices that could swap shapes and open different
structures such as crossovers.
DNA nanotechnology is built on engineering principles. DNA
nanotechnology has many applications for nanoengineers. One of the
principles of engineering nanoengineers use is bottom up development,
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which allows DNA to continuously change in structure and adaptability.

Bottom up development of DNA nanotechnology uses molecular recognition
of base pairs to form self-assembling structures. DNA Nano technological
structures are possible as the DNA is used as material and not a transmitter
of information. DNA nanoparticles have been able to help form different
processes for making gold and silver nanoparticles based on changing
structures. The DNA nanoparticles and combined with organic matter to
allow them to self-replicate. The replication of DNA nanoparticles also allow
the organic matter to develop characteristics that improve functionality and
architecture as well as evolution and adaptation.
Dynamic DNA nanotechnology has many potential applications and
many existing applications to living beings. DNA nanotechnology has
improved the ability to detect harmful genes and created design structures
for the organization of matter at a nano scale.
This nanotechnology is used in molecular robots. Currently the DNA
molecular robots contain basic molecular spiders made of organic matter and
DNA nanoparticles. These robots move and current recognize basic
molecules but there is still a lot of improvements to be made. There are
many advances planned using DNA nanotechnology and nanoparticles to
form capsules to create higher functions in robots. The plan to take
molecular robots from zeroth generation, walker robots, to fourth generation,
robots that can interact with electronic devices. One of the higher
functionalities that nanoengineers hope to achieve is to have DNA
Nanoparticle based robots that can live on other planets. The nanoparticles
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within the molecular robot will allow them to adapt to suitable material for
the climate they are to survive in has conditions. This application of
nanoparticles will allow us to explore areas that may not be suitable for
human habitation but will be suitable for these robots as they can adapt and
send information back to help determine the sustainability of any life form on
that planet.
Another application is tied to DNA nanoparticles having advantages as
drug delivery devices. DNA Nanoparticles are relatively cheap with startup
costs compared to current devices, they are stable and they are relatively
easy to manipulate. Nanoparticles have one major problem they interact with
blood by extracting key nutrients, but they can be platelet coated to mitigate
the problem. A positive is the particles also can be combined with chemicals
for longer lasting drug release.
Another potential use for DNA nanoparticles is their ability to modify
genetic information and to eradicate genetic illnesses and diseases. This
genetic information would be targeted by the DNA nanoparticles and a new
DNA strand section would be inserted into the current strand with a polymer
additive to make recombination easier. At the same time the new strand is
inserted, the disease DNA strand would be removed and eradicate the
illness. The current problem with these polymer additives and coatings on
the nanoparticles is that they do not release enough polymer additives to
allow the DNA strand replacement to be achieve. The current generation of
DNA nanoparticles cannot produce the desired gene change in a living being
but as nanoparticle generations advance and become more compatible with
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organic matter this problem can be solved and make nanoparticles a viable
option for gene replacements.
There are still many barriers in the application of DNA nanoparticles.
But they have great potential use and as more effective mechanisms
develop we are making potential applications closer to reality. DNA
nanoparticle based robots will have the potential to visit different planets or
become drug delivery systems and will have the ability to fill in gaps in
technology that we cannot today due to size. DNA nanoparticles will be able
to change and adapt their structure in order to target certain cells and
neutralize them. In the future they may even be able to effectively suppress
genes that we dont want expressed. All of the potential applications step
closer to reality because of DNA nanoparticles and their dynamic
combinations.
References
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Condon, A. (2006). Designed DNA molecules: principles and applications of
molecular nanotechnology. Nature Reviews Genetics, 7(7), 565-575.
doi:10.1038/nrg1892
Murata, S., Konagaya, A., Kobayashi, S., Saito, H., & Hagiya, M. (2013).
Molecular Robotics: A New Paradigm for Artifacts. New Generation
Computing, 31(1), 27-45. doi:10.1007/s00354-012-0121-z

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Shih, W. M. (2015). Exploiting weak interactions in DNA self-assembly.

Science, 347(6229), 1417-1418. doi:10.1126/science.aaa9483
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