DNA as a Material for Nanotechnology zz:Christof M. Niemever

摘要

Nanotechnology is the new term describing recent research devoted to the generation of nanometer-scaled structural and functional elements. Because further reduction of the currently available microsystems by "engineering down" (for example by photolithographic methods) is uneconomical, new "engmeering-up" strategies are being explored for the assembly of small molecular building blocks to form larger devices, preferably by self-assembly. Biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids may be used as components for the construction of nanostruc-tured systems. DNA seems particularly suitable. This molecule, a unique information carrier, not only occurs in a large variety of structures but also displays comparably high physicochemical stability and mechanical rigidity.