The research team led by Prof. Zhiwei Lin at SCUT published a study titled 'Understanding DNA￾Encoded Carbon Nanotube Sorting and Sensing via Sub-nm Resolution StructuralDetermination' in Science Advances. They developed a high-resolution liquid-phase atomic forcemicroscopy protocol that employed ultra-soft probes to precisely regulate probe-sample interactionforces through small-amplitude, high-frequency modulation. This innovative approach successfullyprevented structural deformation of DNA-SWCNTs while acquiring high-resolution DNAconformational data, marking the first experimental achievement in accurately determining thestructure of DNA-SWCNTs. The study revealed that specific DNA sequences can form well-orderedleft-handed helical structures around SWCNTs, providing insights into the molecular mechanismbehind DNA-encoded functionalization of SWCNTs.

With exceptional electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, SWCNTs are widely used in electronics,optical devices, disease diagnostics, energy storage, and other fields.

Structural construction and determination of DNA wrapping on SWCNTs.

Diagram: Structural construction and determination of DNA wrapping on SWCNTs