Exploring the Key Factors for the Formation of DNA Hydrogels Via Dual Rolling Circle Amplification

Abstract

DNA hydrogels are a current research hotspot in the field of innovative functional biomaterials due to their desirable attributes inherited from both hydrogel scaffolds and DNA molecules, including good biocompatibility, programmability, and specific molecular recognition. Rolling circle amplification (RCA) technology has emerged as a versatile method for fabricating functional DNA hydrogels in a one-pot manner, owing to its efficiency and simplicity. However, there are relatively few studies investigating the factors that affect RCA-based synthesis of DNA hydrogels. In this work, we propose a simple dual RCA strategy to synthesize DNA hydrogels. Specifically, we investigate the effects of various reaction parameters, including reaction buffer, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) concentration, circular DNA template concentration, and temperature for RCA - on the morphology and rheological properties of the resulting DNA hydrogels. The insights gained from this study are valuable for the more efficient and economical synthesis of DNA hydrogels, improve their overall quality, and expand their application fields.

Keywords: DNA Hydrogel, rolling circle amplification, Biosensor, Nanostructures, functional biomaterials