Gel electrophoresis as a nanoseparation tool serving DNA nanotechnology

The past years have witnessed a rapid development of DNA nanotechnology in nanomaterials science with a central focus on programmable material construction on the nanoscale. An efficient method is therefore highly desirable (but challenging) for analytical/preparative purification of DNA-conjugated nano-objects and their DNA-assemblies. In this regard, agarose gel electrophoresis, a traditional technique that has been invented for biomacromolecule separation, has found many innovative uses. This includes shape, size, charge, and ligand-valence separations of nanoparticle building blocks as well as monitoring a self-assembly process towards product identification and purification.

Graphical abstractAgarose gel electrophoresis, a technique originally invented for biomolecule research, has found many innovative applications in DNA nanotechnology towards shape, size, valence, and nanostructured product separations.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide