Conductive metal nanowires templated by the nucleoprotein filaments, complex of DNA and RecA protein

Development of preprogrammable conductive nanowires is a requisite for the future fabrication of nanoscale electronics based on molecular assembly. Here, we report the synthesis of conductive metal nanowires from nucleoprotein filaments, complexes of single- or double-stranded DNA and RecA protein. A genetically engineered RecA derivative possessing a reactive and surface accessible cysteine residue was reacted with functionalized gold particles, resulting in nucleoprotein filaments with gold particles attached. The template-based gold particles were enlarged by chemical deposition to form uniformly metallized nanowires. The programming information can be encoded in DNA sequences so that an intricate electrical circuit can be constructed through self-assembly of each component. As the RecA filament has higher degree of stiffness than double-stranded DNA, it provides a robust scaffold that allows us to fabricate more reliable and well-organized electrical circuitry at the nanoscale. Furthermore, the function of homologous pairing provides sequence-specific junction formation as well as sequence-specific patterning metallization.