casekonly Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 Strands of DNA have been used to fasten - and then separate - nanoparticles in experiments that could lead to the development of fundamentally "self-constructing" materials. Christof Niemeyer and colleagues at the University of Dortmund, Germany, used sections of artificially synthesised DNA to attach gold nanoparticles together before separating them again. DNA consists of two complementary strands that bind together depending on the chemical "bases" on either strand. Attaching nanoparticles by appending them to complementary strands of DNA is a tried and tested technique, already used in some protein sensing systems. But, until now, no one has shown that it is possible to separate the strands again afterwards. Selectively binding nanoparticles could provide a way to construct complex nanostructures piece by piece, using different DNA strands to add different nanoparticles. These materials could have novel electrical and optical properties that cannot currently be obtained using conventional chemistry. Third strand Being able to separate these materials again would offer even greater flexibility. Niemeyer says it could conceivably be used to modify nanostructures after construction. "It could be used to build [self-constructing] materials," he told New Scientist. "Although that is very far off at the moment." The team uses artificial DNA, fabricated to have particular bases. Each gold particle - measuring around 15 nanometres (15 billionths of a metre) across - is attached using sulphur to the centre of a DNA strand. The strand extends out on either side. Two gold particles are then joined together by adding a third strand of DNA that complements half of each gold-bound DNA strand and attaches to both, forming a bridge. This just left the problem of how to separate the gold particles once the bridge was firmly in place. Peeling away So Niemeyer's team developed the bridging strand of DNA to have one end longer than the other with the tip of the long end refusing to attach to the gold-bound strands, leaving it loose. The trick, finally, was to use an additional fourth piece of DNA to bind to this loose end of the bridging strand before "peeling" it away completely - like pulling off a piece of Velcro - leaving the gold particles separated once again. Chad Mirkin, who pioneered the use of DNA as a nanoscale construction material says the approach is interesting, although the potential applications remain unclear. "It's a step towards creating a structure where you could have triggerable changes," says Mirkin, now based at Northwestern University in Chicago, US. "But it's not yet clear where these would be useful." Journal reference: Angewandte Chemie (vol 43, p 6469) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villain Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 It would be cool if you could bind medicines to pathogens. I would make a suit that could sense where extra protection is needed and provide it.... I would also have the arm transform into a gatling gun.... And maybe make boosters on my feet. Yeah, sci-fi is fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Priest Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 Some one dumb this down further for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villain Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 I think it's saying they put particles on different strands of DNA and when the DNA combines so do the particles. Very interesting stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Tesseract Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 i wanna make a pillow out of tits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casekonly Posted December 21, 2004 Author Share Posted December 21, 2004 breast pillows would be cool, but think about armor plating.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duh-rye-won Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 we are all gonna die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest willy.wonka Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 alright..reading that just shows how stupid i am. does this mean that they are trying to manufacture gold? cause non of that made sence to me..maybe im destined to be a garbage man or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chance Em Redy Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 "But it's not yet clear where these would be useful." So i dont get it, theyre doing this research and experimentation just to see if they can? From what i gathered from this, basically these scientists have figured a way to make particles stick together and break apart via DNA strands. When i hear this i first think of some Star Trek shiet. Perhaps this technology would be useful for making stealth ninja robots that could break themselves up and "crawl" under meth labs doors, and then reconstruct themselves complete with twin gattling guns enabling them to take out the drug lords inside with the greatest of ease. I need sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fermentor666 Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Fuck pants, who needs em? I'm getting naked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC/DC Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 God told me this would happen.... the end is nigh!! REPENT!! REPENTTTTTTT!!!!!!!! But for real, I want lasers in my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casekonly Posted December 21, 2004 Author Share Posted December 21, 2004 technology really does make it possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Æ° Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Who else wants a diamond exoskeleton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 nanopants technology never ceases to dumbfound me. Hey Jerkfaces..... what about cancer??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyHorton Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 ^ what about it? cancer is always going to happen AIDS is probably more worrisome than cancer is fosho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaesthebluntedwonder Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Ha, like aids isn't always going to happen. C'mon now, you can't ignore one and not the other. Maybe we can nanify the DNA of aids and cancer and rip em off like you rip off velcro shoes. Yeah, I don't get that article either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casekonly Posted December 22, 2004 Author Share Posted December 22, 2004 aids vs. cancer? psychadelic mushrooms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casekonly Posted December 22, 2004 Author Share Posted December 22, 2004 i meant to ask symbols a question about this but i forgot what i wanted to ask...so, i guess i'm dumb or something. damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Quickwood Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Originally posted by casekonly@Dec 22 2004, 02:22 AM i meant to ask symbols a question about this but i forgot Quoted post set pagefile to "Casek managed size", then fall asleep and immediately wake up, that should prevent this from happening again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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