ABOVE: © ISTOCK.COM, CIPhotos
DNA is more than just a genetic molecule. Its physical structure and predictable behavior also make it a versatile biological building material. Indeed, DNA has been used to create nanoscale robots, patterns, and 3-D structures for various purposes, and it has been incorporated into hydrophilic polymer gels (hydrogels) for a variety of innovative applications, including biosensing, drug delivery, and more.
But such gels have limited versatility, says Max English, a graduate student in the laboratory of MIT bioengineer Jim Collins. Often, DNA-containing gels are designed with strands that are complementary to the intended DNA activators. This means that “whenever you want to design a material that responds to a different [DNA] cue, you have to redesign the material in its entirety,” English explains.
To avoid such overhauls, English and colleagues created a system for making DNA-containing gels that are capable of responding to nearly any DNA ...
