DNA IS A WONDERFUL material with which to build. It can act as a molecular glue or as the fuel for molecular engines. It can be made into rigid girders and tiles, and can also be used to design complex structures capable of self-assembly. DNA nanostructures can act as parallel computers, as "scaffolds" in protein-crystallography experiments and may soon form support structures in 3D molecular electronic circuits. The remarkable properties of DNA that allow it to be used as bricks, mortar and fuel could even lead to molecular assembly lines with conveyor belts that play an active role in the construction process.
In the March issue of Physics World, Andrew Turberfield describes the unique versatility and precision of DNA as a construction material and discusses the latest developments in this field.