Seeman Nadrian C
Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Trends Biochem Sci. 2005 Mar;30(3):119-25. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2005.01.007.
The structural properties that enable DNA to serve so effectively as genetic material can also be used for other purposes. The complementarity that leads to the pairing of the strands of the DNA double helix can be exploited to assemble more complex motifs, based on branched structures. These structures have been used as the basis of larger 2D and 3D constructions. In addition, they have been used to make nanomechanical devices. These devices range from DNA-based shape-shifting structures to gears and walkers, a DNA-stress gauge and even a translation device. The devices are activated by mechanisms as diverse as small molecules, proteins and, most intriguingly, other molecules of DNA.
使DNA能够如此有效地作为遗传物质的结构特性也可用于其他目的。基于分支结构,可利用导致DNA双螺旋链配对的互补性来组装更复杂的基序。这些结构已被用作更大的二维和三维结构的基础。此外,它们还被用于制造纳米机械设备。这些设备包括基于DNA的变形结构、齿轮和行走器、DNA应力计,甚至还有一个翻译设备。这些设备可通过多种机制激活,如小分子、蛋白质,最有趣的是,还有其他DNA分子。