PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Tanner G. Hoog
AU  - Matthew R. Pawlak
AU  - Lauren M. Aufdembrink
AU  - Benjamin R. Bachan
AU  - Matthew B. Galles
AU  - Nicholas B. Bense
AU  - Katarzyna P. Adamala
AU  - Aaron E. Engelhart
TI  - Minimal DNA Electron Transfer Catalysts Switched by a Chaotropic Ion
AID  - 10.1101/784561
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 784561
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/07/14/784561.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/07/14/784561.full
AB  - Here we demonstrate that a DNA nanodevice can perform switchable electron transfer. The nanodevice is comprised of two strands, one of which can be selectively switched between a G-quadruplex and duplex or single-stranded conformations. In the G-quadruplex state, it binds the cofactor hemin, enabling peroxidase activity. This switching ability arises from our discovery that perchlorate, a chaotropic Hofmeister ion, selectively destabilizes duplex over G-quadruplex DNA. By varying perchlorate concentration, we show that the device can be switched between states that do and do not catalyze electron transfer catalysis. State switching can be achieved in three ways: thermally, by dilution, or by concentration. In each case, when operated in the presence of the cofactor hemin, the device catalyzes electron transfer in only the G-quadruplex state.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.