Cell-Targeted Self-Assembled DNA Nanostructures

We present two strategies for attaching self-assembled DNA arrays to the surfaces of cells. Our first approach uses biotin-streptavidin interactions to bind DNA architectures to biotinytated cells. The second approach takes advantage of specific antibody-cell surface interactions, conjugated arrays and the subsequent binding to native epidermal growth factor receptors expressed on cancer cells. DNA array-cell surface interactions were visualized by fluorescence, confocal microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. This novel application of DNA nanoarrays provides strategies to specifically label cell surfaces with micrometer-sized patches, bind cells onto a designed functionalized DNA scaffold, engineer cell/cell networks into microtissues, and deliver materials to cell surfaces.