創(chuàng)造一種具有所期望的微觀分子結(jié)構(gòu)的宏觀物體（如一種晶體）是一種挑戰(zhàn),。一個比較有希望的方法是,，使用具有堅固三維模體和粘性端部的大分子，這樣將它們彼此搭接起來時,，它們就會形成一個周期性排列,，通過晶體學技術(shù)可對這種排列進行研究。
Zhang等人將DNA用于這一目的,，DNA分子排列成一個被稱為“tensegrity triangle”的結(jié)構(gòu)模體,，可生長成200微米大小的晶體,，在其中原子的位置可以4埃的分辨率被確定?；パaDNA鏈之間高度針對性的相互作用,，使得晶體的單元格有可能實現(xiàn)所期望的、所設計的結(jié)構(gòu),。后者還還具有周期性的洞,，這些洞有可能被用來在一個三維周期排列中容納生物分子，從而使得即使在它們自己不能結(jié)晶時也有可能確定它們的結(jié)構(gòu),。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Nature 461, 74-77 (3 September 2009) | doi:10.1038/nature08274
From molecular to macroscopic via the rational design of a self-assembled 3D DNA crystal
Jianping Zheng1,4, Jens J. Birktoft1,4, Yi Chen2,4, Tong Wang1, Ruojie Sha1, Pamela E. Constantinou1,5, Stephan L. Ginell3, Chengde Mao2 & Nadrian C. Seeman1
1 Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York 10003, USA
2 Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
3 Structural Biology Center, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
4 These authors contributed equally to this work.
5 Present address: Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-142, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
We live in a macroscopic three-dimensional (3D) world, but our best description of the structure of matter is at the atomic and molecular scale. Understanding the relationship between the two scales requires a bridge from the molecular world to the macroscopic world. Connecting these two domains with atomic precision is a central goal of the natural sciences, but it requires high spatial control of the 3D structure of matter1. The simplest practical route to producing precisely designed 3D macroscopic objects is to form a crystalline arrangement by self-assembly, because such a periodic array has only conceptually simple requirements: a motif that has a robust 3D structure, dominant affinity interactions between parts of the motif when it self-associates, and predictable structures for these affinity interactions. Fulfilling these three criteria to produce a 3D periodic system is not easy, but should readily be achieved with well-structured branched DNA motifs tailed by sticky ends2. Complementary sticky ends associate with each other preferentially and assume the well-known B-DNA structure when they do so3; the helically repeating nature of DNA facilitates the construction of a periodic array. It is essential that the directions of propagation associated with the sticky ends do not share the same plane, but extend to form a 3D arrangement of matter. Here we report the crystal structure at 4 ? resolution of a designed, self-assembled, 3D crystal based on the DNA tensegrity triangle4. The data demonstrate clearly that it is possible to design and self-assemble a well-ordered macromolecular 3D crystalline lattice with precise control.
