Results
1, Experiment to see if the gel has formed
Result: Formation of a hydrogel
Fig.8: Since the ink did not sink, indicating the formation of the hydrogel.
2, Experiment to find the optimal DNA concentration
Result: Formation of hydrogels at the minimal concentration of 50μM
Fig.9: In each of the tube whose strands concentration is 50μM, the minimum concentration in this experiment, or higher, the formation of the gel prevented the ink from sinking.
3,Experiments to check the state of gel by changing combination of sequences
Result: Identifying a strands pattern that does not form a gel
Fig.10: The ink sank in the tubes containing both st1 and st2, while it did not sink in the tube whose strands pattern is st1 and st3, which are opposite strands of each other. This implies that the gel formed in the former ones but not in the latter one.
4, Experiments to check the state of gel by adding complementary strand of st2 t8 and st4 t8
4-1, Only st2 t8
Result: Formation of hydrogel without st4
Fig.11: The ink did not sink in all of the tubes, indicating the formation of hydrogels. This reveals that the gel did not collapse in tube 2.
4-2, st2 t8 and st4 t8
Result: Collapse of the hydrogel
Fig.12: In tube 4, which included both (st2 t8)* and (st4 t8)*, the ink sank, implying the collapse of the hydrogel. The ink did not sink in the other tubes, indicating that the gel did not collapse.