Fig. 2: Design, synthesis, and characterization of metformin-induced DNA self-assembled nanostructures.

A DNA tetrahedrons, nanotubes, DNA origami rectangles, and six-helix bundles were designed and synthesized to validate metformin-mediated DNA self-assembly. PAGE and agarose gel analysis showed the formation of the four DNA nanostructures. The metformin concentration in all four structures was maintained at 300 mM. Red triangles indicate target bands of DNA nanostructures. B AFM characterization of the four DNA nanostructures. Upper panel: metformin-assembled DNA nanostructures. MF refers to metformin. Lower panel: Mg2+-assembled DNA nanostructures. DNA origami nanoparticles were purified before imaging. Scale bar: 200 nm. C Dynamic laser scattering (DLS) measurements of the diameters of the four DNA nanostructures. The concentrations of the tetrahedrons, nanotubes, rectangles, and six-helix bundle structures were 100, 100, 10, and 10 nM, respectively.