Bromide as a Robust Backfiller on Gold for Precise Control of DNA Conformation and High Stability of Spherical Nucleic Acids

Functionalization of a gold surface with DNA is often complicated by kinetic traps from unintended DNA base adsorption. Herein, we communicate that Br– serves as a robust backfilling agent displacing selected DNA bases on gold. Traditional thiol backfillers are too strong, while even 300 mM Br– is well tolerated. Conjugates prepared with Br– hybridize 10-fold faster and resist DNA release with better colloidal stability yielding highly sensitive probes. From colorimetric and Raman assays, adsorption affinity ranks as F– < T ≈ Cl– < C < G ≈ Br– < A < I–, allowing Br– to displace nonpoly-A sequences from gold. This well-controlled biointerface will impact biosensing, drug delivery, and directed assembly of nanomaterials.