A conformational study of the 10-23 DNAzyme via programmed DNA self-assembly

This communication measures the inter-helical angle of the 10-23 DNAzyme-substrate complex by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Herein, we have devised a strategy to assemble the DNAzyme-substrate complex into a periodic DNA 2D array, which allows reliable study of the conformation of the 10-23 DNAzyme by AFM imaging and fast Fourier transform (FFT). Specifically, the angle between the two flanking helical domains of the catalytic core has been determined via the repeating distance of the 2D array. We expect that the same strategy can generally be applicable for studying other nucleic acid structures.

Automated summary

This study measures the inter-helical angle of the 10-23 DNAzyme-substrate complex using atomic force microscopy. A strategy is devised to assemble the complex into a periodic DNA 2D array, allowing reliable study of the DNAzyme's conformation. The angle between the flanking helical domains of the catalytic core is determined via the repeating distance of the 2D array. The same strategy is expected to be applicable for studying other nucleic acid structures.