2025-07-23 東京科学大学
図1 (a) 異方的に設計されたXモチーフによるDNA凝縮体の形成。上:設計の模式図。中:共焦点レーザー走査型顕微鏡像および試料を含むPCRチューブ。下:原子間力顕微鏡像。 (b) 異方的に設計された四面体モチーフによるDNA凝縮体の形成。左上:設計の模式図。左中:共焦点レーザー走査型顕微鏡像および試料を含むPCRチューブ。左下:原子間力顕微鏡像。右:機械的に引き伸ばした後のDNA凝縮体の像。 (c) 凝縮体を紐状の構造のもつれとして解釈した模式図。
<関連情報>
- https://www.isct.ac.jp/ja/news/h4jb141borx8
- https://www.isct.ac.jp/plugins/cms/component_download_file.php?type=2&pageId=&contentsId=1&contentsDataId=1935&prevId=&key=e78356b0f00e80efe8bd6c7cd856acfe.pdf
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacsau.5c00421
異方性ナノ四面体に基づくひも状構造の絡み合いによるDNA凝縮体 DNA Condensates via Entanglement of String-like Structures Based on Anisotropic Nanotetrahedra
Hong Xuan Chai,Kanta Kayanuma,Hiroaki Suzuki,Masahiro Takinoue
JACS Au Published: June 10, 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.5c00421
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are attracting attention for their bioinspired functionalities and potential applications. However, the influence of biomolecular structural properties on the complex phase behaviors of biomolecular condensates remains poorly understood. In particular, the effect of component anisotropicity on condensates has been largely overlooked despite the existence of highly anisotropic biological condensates, such as heterochromatin. In this study, we report the formation of DNA condensates based on tetrahedron-shaped DNA nanostructures (Tetra-motifs). We designed an anisotropic Tetra-motif with two distinct pairs of sticky ends. Linkers corresponding to the stronger pair were introduced to form connections between Tetra-motifs. Unlike the flexible X-branched DNA nanostructures (X-motifs), the rigid and anisotropic structure of Tetra-motifs enabled their concatenation into extended, string-like structures. We found that these string-like structures of Tetra-motifs formed condensates even without cross-linking of multivalent motifs, relying solely on entanglement of these string-like structures. Mechanical and microfluidic experiments revealed that the resulting string-based condensates are highly deformable. Furthermore, we demonstrated the control of this string-based condensate by external stimuli, including UV irradiation and temperature changes, suggesting its potential as a stimuli-responsive material.
