據(jù)8月7日的《科學(xué)》雜志報(bào)道說,，研究人員設(shè)計(jì)出一種讓DNA彎轉(zhuǎn)扭曲成為不同的新的形狀的方法,，這種變形可能在某一天在體內(nèi)被用于遞送藥物、修建組織或用于研究蛋白質(zhì)單體的納米尺度的裝置中,。 這些發(fā)現(xiàn)將為納米技術(shù)領(lǐng)域提供一種構(gòu)建具有連續(xù)性曲率物體的方法,。） 為了比較，請(qǐng)想象如果我們無法在微米尺度制造彎曲的物體的話,，我們將不會(huì)有輪子,、拱形結(jié)構(gòu)、鉤子等物體,。
Hendrik Dietz及其同僚現(xiàn)在描述了一種在納米尺度制造連續(xù)曲率形狀的方法,。 他們?cè)O(shè)計(jì)出了以蜂巢格構(gòu)方式排列的DNA螺旋束。 這些螺旋結(jié)構(gòu)中有一些具有插入的額外DNA堿基對(duì),，而另外一些螺旋結(jié)構(gòu)中的堿基對(duì)則有缺失,，這些都會(huì)產(chǎn)生出有助于DNA束裝配成為致密納米尺度物體的應(yīng)力。 應(yīng)用這種方法,，研究人員可以控制DNA彎曲的方向和程度,，甚至能夠讓DNA分子以非常緊密的角度彎曲。 文章的作者結(jié)合不同的彎曲成分來建造諸如齒輪和沙灘球等復(fù)雜的形狀,。 Yan Liu 與 Hao Yan在一篇相關(guān)的Perspective 中討論了這項(xiàng)研究工作,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Science 7 August 2009:DOI: 10.1126/science.1174251
Folding DNA into Twisted and Curved Nanoscale Shapes
Hendrik Dietz,1,2,* Shawn M. Douglas,1,2,3 William M. Shih1,2,3,
We demonstrate the ability to engineer complex shapes that twist and curve at the nanoscale from DNA. Through programmable self-assembly, strands of DNA are directed to form a custom-shaped bundle of tightly cross-linked double helices, arrayed in parallel to their helical axes. Targeted insertions and deletions of base pairs cause the DNA bundles to develop twist of either handedness or to curve. The degree of curvature could be quantitatively controlled, and a radius of curvature as tight as 6 nanometers was achieved. We also combined multiple curved elements to build several different types of intricate nanostructures, such as a wireframe beach ball or square-toothed gears.
1 Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
2 Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
3 Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
