Silver nanoparticles ring was successfully fabricated by electrostatic assembling 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) capped silver nanoparticles on predefined extended circular plasmid pBR322 DNA. The silver nanoparticles ring which was about 1.5 mu m in length, and about 2.2 nm in height can be obtained by adjusting the reaction time. The normal Raman scattering spectra reveal that the 4-ATP has contacted with the silver nanoparticles by forming a strong Ag-S bond. The AFM data show that the assembly of 4-ATP capped silver nanoparticles on DNA is ordered. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.