Scientists then looked to nature for inspiration on how to assemble them.ĭNA is a polymer, meaning that it is a large molecule made up of smaller molecules, similar to beads on a string. Unlike building block pieces, DNA bricks are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye, and can only be seen under a microscope that magnifies the block 50,000 times! However, seeing the bricks is only half the battle.
By joining different combinations of DNA bricks together, many designs can be made. These miniature DNA building block “bricks” were created using short strands of DNA, which have been designed to interlock with other DNA bricks – similar to how building block pieces like LEGOs can be locked together. Outside of medicine, there are talks of using DNA as the building material for the next generation of nano-sized computer chips. Unlike traditional methods of drug delivery, DNA can be programmed to target specific locations or cell-types in the body, and in turn minimize side-effects to the surrounding tissues. For example, hollow DNA boxes can be used as vehicles for administering medications. Why spend time creating tiny, ‘invisible’ Teddy bears? Although the shapes created in the current study were for proof-of-concept purposes, it opens up many possibilities for the development of nanotechnologies. You may wonder what the purpose of these nanoscopic DNA sculptures are.
DNA, you may remember from high school science classes, are the molecules that make up our genetic code. Instead of using plastic pieces, Peng Yin’s team of scientists created bricks out of the building blocks of life: DNA. That is what researchers at Harvard University have accomplished. Now, think of your favorite block creation, and imagine it miniaturized 4 million times, Magic School Bus style. From houses to spaceships, the possibilities are seemingly endless with these colorful bricks. In fact, I challenge you to find someone who has never played with building blocks in their lifetime. Think back to your childhood, and there’s one thing many of us had in common: blocks.
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