Singlet oxygen in DNA nanotechnology. 2014

Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
Center for DNA Nanotechnology (CDNA) at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University , DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

CONSPECTUS: Singlet oxygen ((1)O2), the first excited electronic state of molecular oxygen, is a significant molecule, despite its minute size. For more than half a century, the molecule has been widely used and studied in organic synthesis, due to its characteristic oxygenation reactions. Furthermore, (1)O2 plays a key role in mechanisms of cell death, which has led to its use in therapies for several types of cancer and other diseases. The high abundance of oxygen in air provides a wonderful source of molecules that can be excited to the reactive singlet state, for example, by UV/vis irradiation of a photosensitizer molecule. Although convenient, this oxygen abundance also presents some challenges for purposes that require (1)O2 to be generated in a controlled manner. In the past decade, we and others have employed DNA nanostructures to selectively control and investigate the generation, lifetime, and reactions of (1)O2. DNA-based structures are one of the most powerful tools for controlling distances between molecules on the nanometer length scale, in particular for systems that closely resemble biological settings, due to their inherent ability to specifically form duplex structures with well-defined and predictable geometries. Here, we present some examples of how simple DNA structures can be employed to regulate (1)O2 production by controlling the behavior of (1)O2-producing photosensitizers through their interactions with independent quencher molecules. We have developed different DNA-based systems in which (1)O2 production can be switched ON or OFF in the presence of specific DNA sequences or by changing the pH of the solution. To further illustrate the interplay between DNA structures and (1)O2, we present three pieces of research, in which (1)O2 is used to activate or deactivate DNA-based systems based on the reaction between (1)O2 and cleavable linkers. In one example, it is demonstrated how a blocked oligonucleotide can be released upon irradiation with light of a specific wavelength. In more complex systems, DNA origami structures composed of more than 200 individual oligonucleotides were employed to study (1)O2 reactions in spatially resolved experiments on the nanoscale.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009841 Oligonucleotides Polymers made up of a few (2-20) nucleotides. In molecular genetics, they refer to a short sequence synthesized to match a region where a mutation is known to occur, and then used as a probe (OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBES). (Dorland, 28th ed) Oligonucleotide
D004247 DNA A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine). DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D017319 Photosensitizing Agents Drugs that are pharmacologically inactive but when exposed to ultraviolet radiation or sunlight are converted to their active metabolite to produce a beneficial reaction affecting the diseased tissue. These compounds can be administered topically or systemically and have been used therapeutically to treat psoriasis and various types of neoplasms. Photosensitizer,Photosensitizers,Photosensitizing Agent,Photosensitizing Effect,Photosensitizing Effects,Agent, Photosensitizing,Agents, Photosensitizing,Effect, Photosensitizing,Effects, Photosensitizing
D049329 Nanostructures Materials which have structured components with at least one dimension in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers. These include NANOCOMPOSITES; NANOPARTICLES; NANOTUBES; and NANOWIRES. Nanomaterials,Nanostructured Materials,Material, Nanostructured,Materials, Nanostructured,Nanomaterial,Nanostructure,Nanostructured Material
D018625 Microscopy, Atomic Force A type of scanning probe microscopy in which a probe systematically rides across the surface of a sample being scanned in a raster pattern. The vertical position is recorded as a spring attached to the probe rises and falls in response to peaks and valleys on the surface. These deflections produce a topographic map of the sample. Atomic Force Microscopy,Force Microscopy,Scanning Force Microscopy,Atomic Force Microscopies,Force Microscopies,Force Microscopies, Scanning,Force Microscopy, Scanning,Microscopies, Atomic Force,Microscopies, Force,Microscopies, Scanning Force,Microscopy, Force,Microscopy, Scanning Force,Scanning Force Microscopies
D026082 Singlet Oxygen An excited state of molecular oxygen generated photochemically or chemically. Singlet oxygen reacts with a variety of biological molecules such as NUCLEIC ACIDS; PROTEINS; and LIPIDS; causing oxidative damages. Singlet Dioxygen,Dioxygen, Singlet,Oxygen, Singlet
D036103 Nanotechnology The development and use of techniques to study physical phenomena and construct structures in the nanoscale size range or smaller. Nanotechnologies

Related Publications

Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
September 1992, Mutation research,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
April 2006, Radiation research,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
January 2022, Biosensors & bioelectronics,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
December 2000, The Journal of biological chemistry,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
February 2001, The Journal of biological chemistry,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
January 1987, Free radical research communications,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
October 1987, The EMBO journal,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
January 2000, Methods in enzymology,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
May 2022, Photochemistry and photobiology,
Thomas Tørring, and Sarah Helmig, and Peter R Ogilby, and Kurt V Gothelf
April 2006, Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Copied contents to your clipboard!