Beyond the Fold: Emerging Biological Applications of DNA Origami

The use of DNA as a material for nanoscale construction has blossomed in the past decade. This is largely attributable to the DNA origami technique, which has enabled construction of nanostructures ranging from simple two-dimensional sheets to complex three-dimensional objects with defined curves and edges. These structures are amenable to site-specific functionalization with nanometer precision, and have been shown to exhibit cellular biocompatibility and permeability. The DNA origami technique has already found widespread use in a variety of emerging biological applications such as biosensing, enzyme cascades, biomolecular analysis, biomimetics, and drug delivery. We highlight a few of these applications and comments on the prospects for this rapidly expanding field of research.