Selfassembly of metallic nanoparticle arrays by DNA scaffolding

We report the self-assembly of metallic nanoparticle arrays using DNA crystals as a programmable molecular scaffolding. Gold nanoparticles, 1.4 nm in diameter, are assembled in two-dimensional arrays with interparticle spacings of 4 and 64 nm. The nanoparticles form precisely integrated components, which are covalently bonded to the DNA scaffolding. These results show that heterologous chemical systems can be assembled into precise, programmable geometrical arrangements by DNA scaffolding, thereby representing a critical step toward the realization of DNA nanotechnology.