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In nature, the double helix is about two nanometers wide, and varies in length depending on the organism whose genetic codes it contains. In humans, the DNA ladder consists of some three billion "rungs," or base pairs, that would stretch out nearly a yard in length if unfolded. Some two-dimensional DNA nanostructures have already been made by coaxing DNA molecules to interact and lock together in such a way as to produce a desired pattern. But larger, three-dimensional forms have been harder to make using existing methods because of the need to manipulate hundreds of unique DNA strands. A team of researchers led by Chengde Mao of Purdue University in Indiana overcame this problem by programming the DNA to first fold into a basic, "pre-fab" structural unit shaped like a three-pointed star. This made it easier for these uniform units to coalesce into five- or 12-sided geometric forms, or even "buckyballs," molecules with 32 sides composed of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons. "We expect that our assembly strategy can be adapted to allow the fabrication of a range of relatively complex three-dimensional structures," the researchers concluded. Related Links: Eric Bland's blog: What the Tech? |
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