Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Xiao Liang
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Rajib Nandi
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Yi Tian
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Yiyang Zhang
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Yan Li
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Jingsheng Zhou
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Yuanchen Dong
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Dongsheng Liu
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Zhengwei Zhong
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hebei Petroleum University of Technology, Chengde 067000, China
Zhongqiang Yang
Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
In this work, we have combined the advantages of sequence programmability of DNA nanotechnology and optical birefringence of liquid crystals (LCs). Herein, DNA amphiphiles were adsorbed onto LC droplets. A unique phenomenon of LC droplet aggregation was demonstrated, using DNA-modified LC droplets, through complementary DNA hybridization. Further functionalization of DNA-modified LC droplets with a desired DNA sequence was used to detect a wide range of chemicals and biomolecules, such as Hg2+, thrombin, and enzymes, through LC droplet aggregation and vice versa, which can be seen through the naked eye. These DNA-modified LC droplets can be printed onto a desired patterned surface with temperature-induced responsiveness and reversibility. Overall, our work is the first to report DNA-modified LC droplet, which provides a general detection platform based on the development of DNA aptamers. Additionally, this work inspires the exploration of surface information visualization combined with microcontact printing.
