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Related Concept Videos

The DNA Helix01:16

The DNA Helix

Overview
The DNA Helix01:16

The DNA Helix

Overview
DNA as a Genetic Template02:05

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...
The DNA Helix01:07

The DNA Helix

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material responsible for passing traits from generation to generation in all organisms and most viruses. DNA is composed of two strands of nucleotides that wind around each other to form a spring-like structure called a double helix. However, the double helix is not perfectly symmetrical. Instead, there are regularly occurring grooves in the structure. The major groove occurs where the sugar-phosphate backbones are relatively far apart. This space...
DNA as a Genetic Template02:05

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...
Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles
10:23

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Published on: May 8, 2015

Folding DNA to create nanoscale shapes and patterns.

Paul W K Rothemund1

  • 1Departments of Computer Science and Computation & Neural Systems, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA. pwkr@dna.caltech.edu

Nature
|March 17, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a DNA self-assembly method to create complex 2D nanostructures. This technique uses DNA scaffold and staple strands to fold molecules into arbitrary shapes with nanoscale precision.

Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Biomolecular Engineering
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Bottom-up fabrication relies on atomic/molecular self-organization for nanostructure creation.
  • A major challenge is achieving high complexity in bottom-up fabricated nanostructures.
  • DNA self-assembly offers a promising avenue for complex nanostructure fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a straightforward method for folding long single-stranded DNA into arbitrary 2D shapes.
  • To enable the creation of complex nanostructures using DNA self-assembly.
  • To demonstrate programmability of DNA nanostructures for patterns and larger assemblies.

Main Methods:

  • Designing 2D shapes by raster-filling with a 7-kilobase single-stranded DNA scaffold.

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Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack
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Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack

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Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
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Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules

Published on: April 12, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles
10:23

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Published on: May 8, 2015

Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack
07:44

Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack

Published on: August 15, 2018

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
09:32

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules

Published on: April 12, 2019

  • Utilizing over 200 short oligonucleotide staple strands to hold the scaffold in place.
  • One-step self-assembly of scaffold and staple strands into desired nanostructures.

    • Main Results:

    • Successfully folded DNA molecules into arbitrary 2D shapes (squares, disks, stars) approximately 100 nm in diameter.
    • Achieved a spatial resolution of 6 nm, with each oligonucleotide acting as a 6-nm pixel.
    • Demonstrated the ability to create complex surface patterns (words, images) and larger assemblies (lattices, molecular complexes).

    Conclusions:

    • The described DNA self-assembly method is effective for fabricating complex 2D nanostructures with high precision.
    • This approach allows for programmable patterns and the formation of larger, ordered molecular assemblies.
    • The technique advances bottom-up fabrication capabilities towards matching the complexity of top-down methods.