| Abstract
| - Development of preprogrammable conductive nanowires is a requisite for the future fabricationof nanoscale electronics based on molecular assembly. Here, we report the synthesis of conductive metalnanowires from nucleoprotein filaments, complexes of single- or double-stranded DNA and RecA protein.A genetically engineered RecA derivative possessing a reactive and surface accessible cysteine residuewas reacted with functionalized gold particles, resulting in nucleoprotein filaments with gold particles attached.The template-based gold particles were enlarged by chemical deposition to form uniformly metallizednanowires. The programming information can be encoded in DNA sequences so that an intricate electricalcircuit can be constructed through self-assembly of each component. As the RecA filament has higherdegree of stiffness than double-stranded DNA, it provides a robust scaffold that allows us to fabricatemore reliable and well-organized electrical circuitry at the nanoscale. Furthermore, the function ofhomologous pairing provides sequence-specific junction formation as well as sequence-specific patterningmetallization.
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