Mirjam Leunissen (FOM AMOLF,
Steering the self-organization of small particles using DNA as a nano-Velcro
When suspended in a liquid, nano- and micrometer-sized 'colloidal' particles display spontaneous thermal
motion,
which allows them to explore many different configurations until they find the most stable one. This self-organizing behavior is both of fundamental and practical interest, and people have managed to manipulate the interactions between the particles,
but
so far the resulting structures are quite limited in complexity. Recently, it was suggested that DNA-coatings could help to guide particles to their
designated
neighbors in more complex structures, as the nearly infinite number of different DNA pairs guarantees highly specific interactions. I will highlight the unique properties
of
such DNA-mediated interactions and discuss some of the recent advances, as well as remaining problems. Besides equilibrium assembly, I will show how
one can
gain better control over the self-organization through non-equilibrium effects, in the form of novel 'switchable' interactions, and stepped processes. As an example of the latter approach, I will present a non-biological
colloidal
system that can self-replicate by cyclic variations in the environment (light, temperature).
