Folding DNA to create nanoscale shapes and patterns
Published on: 2006/05/16
Abstract
'Bottom-up fabrication', which exploits the intrinsic properties of atoms and molecules to direct their self-organiztion, is widely used to make relatively simple nanostructures. The self-assembly of DNA molecules provides an attractive route towards the creation of high-complexity nanostructures, which match that routinely achieved by 'top-down' methods. Through the simple method of using a single, long 'scaffold' strand, which connects to numerous short oligonucleotide 'staple' strands, complex DNA structures may self assemble to roughly 100nm in diameter, with a spatial resolution of 6nm which may be programmed to bear complex patterns such as words or images on their surface. These structures may be programmed to form larger assemblies through the usage of 'extended staples' which connect structures at their edges, which may be used to create periodic lattices, or algorithmically self-assembling patterns.
Authors
Paul W.K. Rothemund
