DNA-linked nanoparticle building blocks for nanostructure assembly and methods of producing the same

A method of producing a DNA-nanoparticle complex utilizing an aqueous-phase anisotropic sequential ligand replacement technique, the method comprising:

• attaching a first DNA linker having a length of about 5 to about 100 nucleotides to a bead to form a first DNA-bead complex;
• and
• combining a nanoparticle comprising gold and having a diameter of about 1 nanometer to about 30 nanometers with the first DNA-bead complex to form a first nanoparticle-DNA-bead complex having one DNA linker attached to the nanoparticle and coupled to the bead;
• releasing the bead from the first nanoparticle-DNA-bead complex to form a first nanoparticle-DNA complex having one DNA linker attached to the nanoparticle;
• attaching a second DNA linker having a length of about 5 to about 100 nucleotides to a bead to form a second DNA-bead complex;
• combining the first nanoparticle-DNA complex with the second DNA-bead complex to form a second nanoparticle-DNA-bead complex having two DNA linkers attached to the nanoparticle;
• and
• releasing the bead from the second nanoparticle-DNA-bead complex to form a second nanoparticle-DNA complex having two DNA linkers attached to the nanoparticle that are approximately 180 degrees apart from one another.