Article

DNA-Directed Artificial Light-Harvesting Antenna

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-5601, United States
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133 (31), pp 11985–11993
DOI: 10.1021/ja1115138
Publication Date (Web): June 29, 2011
Copyright © 2011 American Chemical Society

Abstract

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Designing and constructing multichromophoric, artificial light-harvesting antennas with controlled interchromophore distances, orientations, and defined donor–acceptor ratios to facilitate efficient unidirectional energy transfer is extremely challenging. Here, we demonstrate the assembly of a series of structurally well-defined artificial light-harvesting triads based on the principles of structural DNA nanotechnology. DNA nanotechnology offers addressable scaffolds for the organization of various functional molecules with nanometer scale spatial resolution. The triads are organized by a self-assembled seven-helix DNA bundle (7HB) into cyclic arrays of three distinct chromophores, reminiscent of natural photosynthetic systems. The scaffold accommodates a primary donor array (Py), secondary donor array (Cy3) and an acceptor (AF) with defined interchromophore distances. Steady-state fluorescence analyses of the triads revealed an efficient, stepwise funneling of the excitation energy from the primary donor array to the acceptor core through the intermediate donor. The efficiency of excitation energy transfer and the light-harvesting ability (antenna effect) of the triads was greatly affected by the relative ratio of the primary to the intermediate donors, as well as on the interchromophore distance. Time-resolved fluorescence analyses by time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) and streak camera techniques further confirmed the cascading energy transfer processes on the picosecond time scale. Our results clearly show that DNA nanoscaffolds are promising templates for the design of artificial photonic antennas with structural characteristics that are ideal for the efficient harvesting and transport of energy.

Methods, calculation of FRET efficiency, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequences, additional spectral data, and DNA synthesis and modification characterization. This material is available free of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.

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Received 21 December 2010
Published online 29 June 2011
Published in print 10 August 2011
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