Precious Meta

What is DNA? Perhaps it’s precious information – a spool of chemical code unwound to reveal genes, instructions for building the proteins which shape life. But in other labs, bioengineers are excited by the flexible, bendable and ‘sticky’ nature of DNA – they’re using it to build tiny structures to carry drug compounds inside cells. Taking this DNA origami further, researchers are thinking bigger – combining lengths of DNA into larger ‘meta-DNA’ structures that behave similarly to the smaller natural molecules. Pictured in 3D under a transmission electron microscope, triangular and square-shaped meta-DNA can self-assemble into complex structures (top two rows, or preserved in a coating of silica on the bottom row). Customising these biological building blocks, researchers now hope to perfect designs for biosensors or even molecular motors inside the body.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from by Hao Yan Lab
• School of Molecular Sciences and Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
• Image copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Nature Chemistry, September 2020