Fabrication of Silica Nanomaterials Reflecting Morphological Transition of DNA Mediated by a Silane-appended Ionic Liquid

A simple fabrication strategy of DNA-transcribed silica materials has been developed. An ionic liquid incorporating an alkoxysilane group is capable of binding with DNA and acts as nuclei for subsequent sol gel reaction with tetramethoxysilane. Unique silica materials with worm-like, rod-shaped, toroidal, or linearly fibrous structures are created from the same DNA template through the morphological transition of DNA induced by the ionic liquid.