Controlled assembly of exogenous DNA-based materials in living cells

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Synthetic Biology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Self-assembly of artificial structures in cells aids understanding of cellular mechanisms and functions.
• Exogenous active substances are used to control intracellular assembly processes.
• Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a versatile building block for creating functional biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the controlled assembly of exogenous DNA-based materials within living cells.
• To highlight key applications of intracellular DNA material assembly.
• To discuss challenges and future prospects in the field.

Main Methods:

• Summarizing controlled assembly of DNA-based materials under various stimuli.
• Analyzing DNA material interactions with intracellular molecules.
• Reviewing DNA functional modules for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Main Results:

• DNA materials can alter intracellular environments, influencing cell behavior and fate.
• DNA assemblies can affect subcellular structures and interfere with cellular functions.
• DNA functional modules facilitate tumor detection, imaging, and drug delivery.

Conclusions:

• Controlled intracellular assembly of DNA materials offers significant potential in biomedicine and synthetic biology.
• DNA-based materials can be engineered for precise cellular control and therapeutic applications.
• Further research is needed to overcome challenges and expand applications in living cells.