Robustness in Self-Assembly

Years and Authors of Summarized Original Work

• 2004; Winfree, Bekbolatov

• 2004; Chen, Goel

Robustness in Self-Assembly

The abstract tile assembly model (aTAM), originally proposed by Winfree [1], provides a useful framework to study algorithmic tile self-assembly. As described in other sections, many theoretical studies have shown the efficiency and computational power of aTAM.

The aTAM, although widely accepted and experimentally verified, is an overly simplified combinatorial model in describing the self-assembly of DNA tiles. In reality, several effects are observed which lead to a loss of robustness compared to the aTAM. The assembly tends to be reversible, i.e., tiles can fall off from an existing assembly, even when the total binding strength exceeds the temperature threshold τ. Also, tiles sometimes attach with a weak strength but then quickly get incorporated and locked into a growing assembly, much like defects in a crystal. However, for sophisticated combinatorial assemblies...