Robust Encoding of Precise Addressing Information on AuNPs to Direct Their Heritable Positioning on DNA Origami†

The programmability of DNA assembly allows for the creation of gold nanostructures with custom shapes and tailored optical properties, holding promise for applications including single-molecule sensing and imaging. While DNA origami provides addressable site information for structure construction, there have been few studies on encoding information onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to guide the assembly of Au-DNA origami structures, especially for encoding extensive information onto large AuNPs (e.g., 30 nm). In this work, we introduce a strategy that encodes extensive information onto versatile AuNPs ranging in size from 5 nm to 30 nm using a DNA origami template (parent origami). This encoded information serves to direct the positioning of the AuNPs within a regenerated DNA origami structure (daughter origami). Our findings demonstrate the successful assembly of AuNPs ranging from 5 nm to 30 nm on the same site of the daughter DNA origami as the parent DNA origami, with yields of up to 80%. This approach offers new possibilities for achieving precise control over AuNPs assembly and functionality.