IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v9y2018i1d10.1038_s41467-018-02905-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multi-functional DNA nanostructures that puncture and remodel lipid membranes into hybrid materials

Author

Listed:
  • Oliver Birkholz

    (University of Osnabrück)

  • Jonathan R. Burns

    (University College London)

  • Christian P. Richter

    (University of Osnabrück)

  • Olympia E. Psathaki

    (University of Osnabrück)

  • Stefan Howorka

    (University College London)

  • Jacob Piehler

    (University of Osnabrück)

Abstract

Synthetically replicating key biological processes requires the ability to puncture lipid bilayer membranes and to remodel their shape. Recently developed artificial DNA nanopores are one possible synthetic route due to their ease of fabrication. However, an unresolved fundamental question is how DNA nanopores bind to and dynamically interact with lipid bilayers. Here we use single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to establish that DNA nanopores carrying cholesterol anchors insert via a two-step mechanism into membranes. Nanopores are furthermore shown to locally cluster and remodel membranes into nanoscale protrusions. Most strikingly, the DNA pores can function as cytoskeletal components by stabilizing autonomously formed lipid nanotubes. The combination of membrane puncturing and remodeling activity can be attributed to the DNA pores’ tunable transition between two orientations to either span or co-align with the lipid bilayer. This insight is expected to catalyze the development of future functional nanodevices relevant in synthetic biology and nanobiotechnology.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Birkholz & Jonathan R. Burns & Christian P. Richter & Olympia E. Psathaki & Stefan Howorka & Jacob Piehler, 2018. "Multi-functional DNA nanostructures that puncture and remodel lipid membranes into hybrid materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-02905-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-02905-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-02905-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-018-02905-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jianxin Yang & Tianle Pan & Zhenming Xie & Wu Yuan & Ho-Pui Ho, 2024. "In-tube micro-pyramidal silicon nanopore for inertial-kinetic sensing of single molecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Hui Chen & Shaohong Zhou & Kleins Ngocho & Jing Zheng & Xiaoxiao He & Jin Huang & Kemin Wang & Hui Shi & Jianbo Liu, 2024. "Oriented triplex DNA as a synthetic receptor for transmembrane signal transduction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Katya Ahmad & Abid Javed & Conor Lanphere & Peter V. Coveney & Elena V. Orlova & Stefan Howorka, 2023. "Structure and dynamics of an archetypal DNA nanoarchitecture revealed via cryo-EM and molecular dynamics simulations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-02905-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.