Nucleotides, RNA and DNA selective adsorption on atomic-flat Mg-Al-hydroxysilicate substrates

The search and characterisation of new nanomaterials and their application to nanomanipulate biomolecules are modern challenges of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Both synthetic and natural materials are widely investigated. In this Letter the authors report on the interaction of fundamental biomolecules with atomic-flat natural magnesium-aluminium-hydroxysilicate substrates. The surface affinity, self-assembly and nanopatterning of nucleotides, RNA and DNA, are compared. All biomolecules selectively adsorb on the surface of the magnesium hydroxide layer. Nucleotides are lined-up at the edges of magnesium hydroxide in long filamentary structures. RNA molecules are observed as agglomerates, globular domains separated by strands, and also in stable linearised structures. DNA can be bridged between two magnesium hydroxide layers in a stretched conformation longer than 2 mu m (>6000 bp).