Session H14: Colloids III: Formation and Control
8:00 AM–10:36 AM, Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Room: 315
Sponsoring Unit:
DFD
Chair: Itai Cohen, Cornell University
Abstract ID: BAPS.2009.MAR.H14.4
Abstract: H14.00004 : A simple quantitative model for the reversible association of DNA coated colloids
8:36 AM–8:48 AM
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Abstract 
Authors:
Remi Dreyfus
(New York University)
Mirjam Leunissen
(New York University)
Roujie Shah
(New York University)
Alexei Tkachenko
(University of Michigan)
Nadrian Seeman
(New York University)
David Pine
(New York University)
Paul Chaikin
(New York University)
We investigate the reversible association of micrometer-sized colloids coated with complementary single-stranded DNA `sticky ends' as a function of the temperature and the sticky end coverage. We find that even a qualitative description of the dissociation transition curves requires the inclusion of an entropic cost. We develop a simple general model for this cost in terms of the configurational entropy loss due to binding and confinement of the tethered DNA between neighboring particles. With this easy-to-use model, we demonstrate for different kinds of DNA constructs quantitative control over the dissociation temperature and the sharpness of the dissociation curve, both essential properties for complex self-assembly processes.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2009.MAR.H14.4