Silver has a long history of antibacterial effectiveness. The combination of atomically precise metal nanoclusters with the field of nucleic acid nanotechnology has given rise to DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) which can be engineered with reproducible and unique fluorescent properties and antibacterial activity. Furthermore, cytosine-rich single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides designed to fold into hairpin structures improve the stability of AgNCs and additionally modulate their antibacterial properties and the quality of observed fluorescent signals. In this work, we characterize the sequence-specific fluorescence and composition of four representative DNA-AgNCs, compare their corresponding antibacterial effectiveness at different pH, and assess cytotoxicity to several mammalian cell lines.
Organic−inorganic hybrids may offer material properties not available from their inorganic components. However, they are typically less stable and disordered. Long-term stability study of the hybrid materials, over the anticipated lifespan of a real-world electronic device, is practically nonexistent. Disordering, prevalent in most nanostructure assemblies, is a prominent adversary to quantum coherence. A family of perfectly ordered II−VI-based hybrid nanostructures has been shown to possess many unusual properties and potential applications. Here, using a prototype structure β-ZnTe(en) 0.5 a hybrid superlatticeand applying an array of optical, structural, surface, thermal, and electrical characterization techniques, in conjunction with densityfunctional theory calculations, we have performed a comprehensive and correlative study of the crystalline quality, structural degradation, electronic, optical, and transport properties on samples from over 15 years old to the recently synthesized. The findings show that not only do they exhibit an exceptionally high level of crystallinity in both macroscopic and microscopic scale, comparable to high-quality binary semiconductors; and greatly enhanced material properties, compared to those of the inorganic constituents; but also, some of them over 15 years old remain as good in structure and property as freshly made ones. This study reveals (1) what level of structural perfectness is achievable in a complex organic−inorganic hybrid structure or a man-made superlattice, suggesting a nontraditional strategy to make periodically stacked heterostructures with abrupt interfaces; and (2) how the stability of a hybrid material is affected differently by its intrinsic attributes, primarily formation energy, and continued...
Recent advances in nanotechnology now allow for the methodical implementation of therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) into modular nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) with tunable physicochemical properties which can match the desired biological effects, provide uniformity, and regulate the delivery of multiple TNAs for combinatorial therapy. Despite the potential of novel NANPs, the maintenance of their structural integrity during storage and shipping remains a vital issue that impedes their broader applications. Cold chain storage is required to maintain the potency of NANPs in the liquid phase, which greatly increases transportation costs. To promote long‐term storage and retention of biological activities at higher temperatures (e.g., +50 °C), a panel of representative NANPs is first exposed to three different drying mechanisms—vacuum concentration (SpeedVac), lyophilization (Lyo), and light‐assisted drying (LAD)—and then rehydrated and analyzed. While SpeedVac primarily operates using heat, Lyo avoids temperature increases by taking advantage of pressure reduction and LAD involves a near‐infrared laser for uniform drying in the presence of trehalose. This work compares and defines refinements crucial in formulating an optimal strategy for producing stable, fully functional NANPs and presents a forward advancement in their development for clinical applications.
Different therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) can be unified in a single structure by their elongation with short oligonucleotides designed to self-assemble into nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs). With this approach, therapeutic cocktails with precisely controlled composition and stoichiometry of active ingredients can be delivered to the same diseased cells for enhancing pharmaceutical action. In this study, an additional nanotechnology-based therapeutic option that enlists a biocompatible NANP-encoded platform for their controlled patient-specific immunorecognition is explored. For this, a set of representative functional NANPs is extensively characterized in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo and then further analyzed for immunostimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells freshly collected from healthy donor volunteers. The results of the study present the advancement of the current TNA approach toward personalized medicine and offer a new strategy to potentially address top public health challenges related to drug overdose and safety through the biodegradable nature of the functional platform with immunostimulatory regulation.
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