Self-Assembly of DNA-Oligo(p-phenylene-ethynylene) Hybrid Amphiphiles into Surface-Engineered Vesicles with Enhanced Emission

Surface-addressable nanostructures of linearly pi-conjugated molecules play a crucial role in the emerging field of nanoelectronics. Herein, by using DNA as the hydrophilic segment, we demonstrate a solid-phase click chemistry approach for the synthesis of a series of DNA-chromophore hybrid amphiphiles and report their reversible self-assembly into surface-engineered vesicles with enhanced emission. DNA-directed surface addressability of the vesicles was demonstrated through the integration of gold nanoparticles onto the surface of the vesicles by sequence-specific DNA hybridization. This system could be converted to a supramolecular light-harvesting antenna by integrating suitable FRET acceptors onto the surface of the nanostructures. The general nature of the synthesis, surface addressability, and biocompatibility of the resulting nanostructures offer great promises for nanoelectronics, energy, and biomedical applications.