Programmed pH-driven reversible association and dissociation of interconnected circular DNA dimer nanostructures

The switchable pH-driven reversible assembly and dissociation of interlocked circular DNA dimers is presented. The circular DNA dimers are interconnected by pH-responsive nucleic acid bridges. In one configuration, the two-ring nanostructure is separated at pH = 5.0 to individual rings by reconfiguring the interlocking bridges into C-G·C⁺ triplex units, and the two-ring assembly is reformed at pH = 7.0. In the second configuration, the dimer of circular DNAs is bridged at pH = 7.0 by the T-A·T triplex bridging units that are separated at pH = 10.0, leading to the dissociation of the dimer to single circular DNA nanostructures. The two circular DNA units are also interconnected by two pH-responsive locks. The pH-programmed opening of the locks at pH = 5.0 or pH = 10.0 yields two isomeric dimer structures composed of two circular DNAs. The switchable reconfigured states of the circular DNA nanostructures are followed by time-dependent fluorescence changes of fluorophore/quencher labeled systems and by complementary gel electrophoresis experiments. The dimer circular DNA structures are further implemented as scaffolds for the assembly of Au nanoparticle dimers exhibiting controlled spatial separation.