Low-entropy lattices engineered through bridged DNA origami frames

The transformation from disorder to order in self-assembly is an autonomous entropy-decreasing process. The spatial organization of nanoscale anisotropic building blocks involves the intrinsic heterogeneity in three dimensions and requires sufficiently precise control to coordinate intricate interactions. Only a few approaches have been shown to achieve the anisotropic extension from components to assemblies. Here, we demonstrate the ability to engineer three-dimensional low-entropy lattices at the nucleotide level from modular DNA origami frames. Through the programmable DNA bridging strategy, DNA domains of the same composition are periodically arranged in the crystal growth directions. We combine the site-specific positioning of guest nanoparticles to reflect the anisotropy control, which is validated by small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy. We expect that our DNA origami-mediated crystallization method will facilitate both the exploration of refined self-assembly platforms and the creation of anisotropic metamaterials.

Through the bridging principle, DNA origami building blocks are integrated into ordered self-assembled structures. Periodically arranged DNA domains can locate the nanoparticles in a uniform site to achieve precise control of the contents.