DNA origami-templated nanopatterning of small unilamellar liposomes
Biological and Biomimetic Chemistry
Final Report Abstract
Precise structural arrangements of molecular compartments are an attractive prospect for establishing increasing levels of spatiotemporal control over chemical reactions and biomolecular processes. In complex biological systems like tissues and cell organelles, membraneous compartments with diverse roles are brought in close proximity and coordinated by molecular signals. Inspired by these robust and dependable biosystems, a two-dimensional DNA lattice architecture was designed to spatially organize two distinct lipid nanovesicle types into programmable tiling patterns. Each lattice subunit features a bowl-shaped socket engineered to house small unilamellar lipid vesicles (SUVs) of various sizes, positioning them centrally within the socket. Once assembled, the surface-exhibited vesicles followed the intended pattern, remaining close enough to enable further functionalization and interaction, while avoiding unwanted fusion. The final report will elaborate on the design, assembly, and characterization of the DNA lattices and bound SUVs, and will outline the major challenges encountered during the project.
