The Zelikin lab has contributed to a publication from the Gothelf lab on Preparation, single-molecule manipulation and energy transfer investigation of a polyfluorene-graft-DNA polymer in Chemistry – a European Journal.
Conjugated polymers have been intensively studied due to their unique optical and electronic properties combined with their physical flexibility and scalable bottom up synthesis. While the bulk qualities of conjugated polymers have been extensively utilized in research and industry, the ability to handle and manipulate conjugated polymers at the nanoscale lacks significantly behind. Here we extend the toolbox for controlled manipulation of conjugated polymers through the synthesis of a polyfluorene-DNA graft type polymer (poly(F-DNA)). The polymer possesses the characteristics associated with the conjugated polyfluorene backbone, but the protruding single-stranded DNA provides the material with an exceptional addressability. This allows us to demonstrate controlled single polymer patterning, as well as energy transfer between two different polymer-DNA conjugates. Finally, we demonstrate highly efficient DNA directed quenching of the polyfluorene fluorescence.
