Published in Chemistry World, 28 Feb 2010
Chemists in Denmark have for the first time imaged chemical reactions on a DNA origami scaffold so that they can precisely attach single molecules. Their method, which involves atomic force microscopy, will help researchers to create self-assembling DNA nanodevices for applications ranging from biosensing to drug delivery.
Although DNA itself has limited potential in chemistry, optics and electronics, its structure can serve as a template for building materials with new functional properties. For complex structures, long DNA molecules can also be folded into different shapes, known as DNA origami. The idea is that different molecules can then be attached to the origami ‘pegboard’ so composite structures become tailored, say, for conducting or optical circuits. […]
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