DNA nanostructures are typically annealed in magnesium-containing buffers which enable the DNA strands to fold by mitigating electrostatic repulsion. However, some functional applications of nanostructures may require buffers incompatible with those typically used for folding. The ability of a nanostructure to withstand low cationic salt conditions is considered related to the density of the DNA helices and other design parameters. For this reason, wireframe nanostructures are generally more stable in low salt conditions than tightly packed helical bundles1.
References
- Linko, V. & Keller, A. Stability of DNA Origami Nanostructures in Physiological Media: The Role of Molecular Interactions. Small 19, 2301935 (2023).