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Abstract
Besides being a passive carrier of genetic information, DNA can also serve as an architecture template for the synthesis of novel fluorescent nanomaterials that are arranged in a highly organized network of functional entities such as fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). Only a few atoms in size, the properties of AgNCs can be tuned using a variety of templating DNA sequences, overhangs, and neighboring duplex regions. In this study, we explore the properties of AgNCs manufactured on a short DNA sequencean individual element designed for a construction of a larger DNA-based functional assembly. The effects of close proximity of the double-stranded DNA, the directionality of templating single-stranded sequence, and conformational heterogeneity of the template are presented. We observe differences between designs containing the same AgNC templating sequencetwelve consecutive cytosines, (dC)(12). AgNCs synthesized on a single basic templating element, (dC)(12), emit in red. The addition of double-stranded DNA core, required for the larger assemblies, changes optical properties of the silver nanoclusters by adding a new population of clusters emitting in green. A new population of blue emitting clusters forms only when ssDNA templating sequence is placed on the 5 end of the double-stranded core. We also compare properties of silver nanoclusters, which were incorporated into a dimeric structurea first step towards a larger assembly.