Canary and Seeman recently
reported the first
nucleic acid-based structure with a DNA backbone covalently
linked to an organic polymer, specifically, nylon. A stable
duplex of a nylon-DNA strand and a DNA complement has been
synthesized, and these investigators aim to create a DNA
nanomachine17
capable of synthesizing
exotic polymers - with a precision approaching that
achieved by ribosomal protein synthesis - having tailored
optical, electrical, and stereochemical properties that are
difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional
polymer synthesis.
SESMI students will be
introduced to molecular design and synthesis by
synthesizing modified oligonucleotides using organic and
automated DNA synthetic techniques. As such, they will be
introduced to the biotechnological tools essential to DNA
structural nanotechnology by conducting oligonucleotide
transformations and characterizations.
