Elucidating Interactions that Govern DNA Incorporation into Metal–Phenolic Networks

Abstract

The application of metal–phenolic networks (MPNs) in materials engineering has been driven by the diverse interactions that polyphenols exhibit with various substrates and biomolecules, paving the way for their use in drug delivery, sensing, and coatings. In particular, the interaction of MPNs with DNA is of interest, owing to the potential of DNA molecules to provide biofunctionality and tunable properties in advanced phenolic materials. Despite previous studies on MPNs and DNA nano/macro structures, there is a limited understanding of MPN–DNA interactions and how these can be exploited in materials assembly. Herein, we examine and elucidate the interactions that drive the assembly of MPNs ..