DNA Departures

DNA holds the chemical instructions to make a life, but in the right hands it’s also a strong, versatile building material in its own right. DNA nanotechnologists have spent years exploring what’s mechanically possible with DNA molecules – similar to how architects and engineers must first learn about their materials so they can design with confidence. They’ve been discovering how different sequences stick together and how the DNA strands can be combined to increase strength, making hinges, rotors and poles. And just as architects now use computer-aided design software to speed up their work this DNA plane (70 billion times smaller than a jumbo jet) was designed in minutes rather than days, using new software called MagicDNA to simulate potential structures. With design speeding up, researchers hope to create increasingly sophisticated DNA robots, perhaps helping to sense processes inside the body and swooping down with a payload of life-saving drugs.

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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• Video from work by Chao-Min Huang and colleagues
• Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
• Video copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Nature Materials, April 2021