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. 2019 Dec 3;10(12):1001. doi: 10.3390/genes10121001

Figure 4.

Figure 4

DNA nanotechnology-guided membrane fusion. (A) Membrane fusion by DNA tethers [133]. The DNA tethers on the liposomes contain complementary ssDNA that hybridize in a zipper-like manner, bringing the liposomes in contact and promoting fusion. (B) Acceleration of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion by DNA lipid tethers [131]. Two sets of liposomes containing v-SNARE (green) and t-SNARE (magenta) are brought together using complementary DNA tethers, v-tethers (red strand) and t-tethers (orange strand), respectively. (C) MicroRNA-specific membrane fusion [128]. Target miRNA (blue strand) hybridises to the hairpin (red strand) and displaces it, revealing a binding region for DNA tethers (black). DNA tethers on the liposomes can now hybridise in a zipper-like manner and induce membrane fusion, as in panel A. (D) Docking of a DNA origami-templated SUV containing v-SNAREs and v-tethers onto a supported lipid bilayer (SBL) containing t-SNAREs and t-tethers [128]. The hybridisation of the tethers results in the docking of the liposome and brings the SNARE proteins together, which in turn fuses the liposome with the SBL.