DNA Origami

Folding DNA to create different two or three dimensional shapes while at the nano level of size is known as DNA origami. By relying on the interactions between complementary base pairs, one is able to manipulate a long strain of DNA and force it to fold and twist in such a way as to create different designs. The original project required a process of taking a long strain of viral DNA and bending it and twisting it with the help of staple strands. These strands would bind to the long chain and hold them in place.

With the use of these short strands of DNA, scientists have been able to take long strands of DNA and form them into shapes such as a smiley face, a map of North America and three dimensional molecules such as cubes. Although the research is relatively new, its creator, Paul Rothermund, has hopes for its future.

How Does DNA Origami Work?

The first step in creating effective DNA origami is to drawn out a raster fill with a single DNA molecule. This molecule has to be long because it will be bending and twisting. Feeding this design into a computer, it calculates where each small staple strand needs to go to match up with the opposite base pair. This understanding of base pairs was discovered by Watson and Crick. Once the entire map is created, the DNA is heated and then cooled. While it cools, the small staples take the long strand and pull it into the shape that is desired. While this is going on, the scientist can observe it using atomic force microscopy or fluorescence microscopy.

Uses of DNA Origami

As much as science fiction has always imagined tiny nanobots going into the human body and devouring cancer cells, it has never actually possible. With DNA Origami, Paul Rothermund is hoping that can change. By forcing the long strands of DNA into different shapes, Rothermund hopes that he will be able to create new organisms with numerous different purposes. According to Rothermund, the DNA that was created from the process would be able to consume pollutants in the air which would clean the air over time. More interestingly, it would be able to enter a person's body and determine which cells are cancerous. If the DNA has been folded and shaped in such a way, the new organism will actually be able to destroy the cancerous cells before it can grow and metastasize. While the research is still new, some scientists feel that the potential for this to succeed is great.