Chandrasekaran Arun Richard
The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany 12222, NY, USA.
J Chem Educ. 2023 Jan 10;100(1):316-320. doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00656. Epub 2022 Oct 31.
The field of DNA nanotechnology has grown rapidly in the last decade and has expanded to multiple laboratories. While lectures in DNA nanotechnology have been introduced in some institutions, laboratory components at the undergraduate level are still lacking. Undergraduate students predominantly learn about DNA nanotechnology through their involvement as interns in research laboratories. The DNA nanostructure biostability analysis experiment presented here can be used as a hands-on introductory laboratory exercise for discussing concepts in DNA nanotechnology in an undergraduate setting. This experiment discusses biostability, gel electrophoresis and quantitative analysis of nuclease degradation of a model DNA nanostructure, the paranemic crossover (PX) DNA motif. The experiment can be performed in a chemistry, biology or a biochemistry laboratory with minimal costs and can be adapted in undergraduate institutions using the instructor and student manuals provided here. Laboratory courses based on cutting edge research not only provide students a direct hands-on approach to the subject, but can also increase undergraduate student participation in research. Moreover, laboratory courses that reflect the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of research add value to undergraduate education.
在过去十年中，DNA纳米技术领域发展迅速，并已扩展到多个实验室。虽然一些机构已开设了DNA纳米技术课程，但本科层面的实验部分仍然欠缺。本科生主要是通过在研究实验室实习来了解DNA纳米技术。本文介绍的DNA纳米结构生物稳定性分析实验，可作为本科阶段用于讨论DNA纳米技术概念的实践入门实验。该实验讨论了生物稳定性、凝胶电泳以及对一种模型DNA纳米结构——平行交叉（PX）DNA基序的核酸酶降解进行定量分析。该实验可在化学、生物学或生物化学实验室以最低成本进行，并且可以根据此处提供的教师和学生手册在本科院校进行调整。基于前沿研究的实验课程不仅为学生提供了直接实践该学科的方法，还能增加本科生对研究的参与度。此外，反映出研究日益多学科性质的实验课程为本科教育增添了价值。
