Using DNA To Shape Nanostructures

Using DNA To Shape Nanostructures
Chemists and materials scientists are trying to learn to build ultra-small, precisely ordered structures for use in optics, electronics, and other applications. Writing in the journal Science, Chad Mirkin and colleagues describe a way to use snippets of DNA to tailor the shape and size of crystal structures, tweaking them to fit specific uses.
"we can program DNA and building blocks to do that. So the idea here is to take tiny bits of matter, nanoparticles, and to attach strands of DNA that have a preconceived and designed code that then guides them through an assembly process based upon known DNA recognition properties to assemble into macroscopic structures that have properties that are defined by the arrangement of those particles within the extended structure."


Looking ahead
When I was writing the first 'Cloud' Book, I was just hypothesising that at some point DNA models could be used to create nanoparticles.I didn't think that the design of the Nanoparticles created by Alister's mother, modelled on the structure of adolescent neurons - fast learning and creative -was closer to reality that I'd imagine.  This opens up a whole new world of genetic and nanotechnology. Meanwhile other people are working on nanotechnology that mimics the way parts of the brain works.

The paths of DNA science, nanotechnology, computing, neuroscience are converging with greater frequency and variation at an increasing rate.
Why is all this possible?
Simply because if you go down far enough into the any science - biological or material and it's all chemistry, if you go down even further and it's all physics. And it's the knowledge about and ability to manipulate matter on such a nano and chemical scale, where you are down to the common ground of Stuff, that allows this convergence.