Review Stresses Biomedical Applications for Designed DNA Nanostructures
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 05 Oct 2015 |
|
Image: Virus-protein-coated DNA origami nanostructures. With the help of protein encapsulation, such nanostructures can be transported into human cells much more efficiently (Photo courtesy of Dr. Veikko Linko and Dr. Mauri Kostiainen, Aalto University).
A recent review article described how self-assembled DNA nanostructures could be used in molecular-scale diagnostics and as smart drug-delivery vehicles.
Investigators at Aalto University (Finland) described in the October 2015 issue of the journal Trends in Biotechnology how DNA molecules could be assembled into tailored and complex nanostructures, and how such structures could be used for bio-nanotechnological applications such as molecular diagnostics and targeted therapeutics.
The authors said that DNA molecules can be assembled into custom predesigned shapes via hybridization of sequence-complementary domains. The folded structures have high spatial addressability and tremendous potential to serve as platforms and active components in a plethora of bio-nanotechnological applications. They stressed that DNA is a truly programmable material, and its nanoscale engineering opens up numerous attractive possibilities to develop novel methods for therapeutics. Furthermore, tailored molecular devices could be used to target cells and trigger cellular actions in the biological environment.
"Nowadays, software and techniques to design and simulate DNA nanostructures are extremely powerful and user-friendly, and thus, researchers can easily construct their own DNA-objects for various uses. The big boom in the field of structural DNA nanotechnology happened in 2006, when Paul Rothemund introduced a technique dubbed "DNA origami". This method is the starting point for practically all other straightforward design approaches available today", said first author Dr. Veikko Linko, a postdoctoral researcher in biohybrid materials at Aalto University.
Related Links:
Aalto University
Investigators at Aalto University (Finland) described in the October 2015 issue of the journal Trends in Biotechnology how DNA molecules could be assembled into tailored and complex nanostructures, and how such structures could be used for bio-nanotechnological applications such as molecular diagnostics and targeted therapeutics.
The authors said that DNA molecules can be assembled into custom predesigned shapes via hybridization of sequence-complementary domains. The folded structures have high spatial addressability and tremendous potential to serve as platforms and active components in a plethora of bio-nanotechnological applications. They stressed that DNA is a truly programmable material, and its nanoscale engineering opens up numerous attractive possibilities to develop novel methods for therapeutics. Furthermore, tailored molecular devices could be used to target cells and trigger cellular actions in the biological environment.
"Nowadays, software and techniques to design and simulate DNA nanostructures are extremely powerful and user-friendly, and thus, researchers can easily construct their own DNA-objects for various uses. The big boom in the field of structural DNA nanotechnology happened in 2006, when Paul Rothemund introduced a technique dubbed "DNA origami". This method is the starting point for practically all other straightforward design approaches available today", said first author Dr. Veikko Linko, a postdoctoral researcher in biohybrid materials at Aalto University.
Related Links:
Aalto University
New
Gold Member
Nucleic Acid Extractor System
NEOS-96 XT
New
Gold Member
Neonatal Heel Incision Device
Tenderfoot
New
Hematology Consumables
Bioblood Devices
New
Electrolyte Analyzer
BKE-B
Latest BioResearch News
- Study Identifies Protein Changes Driving Immunotherapy Resistance in Multiple Myeloma
- Genetic Analysis Identifies BRCA-Linked Risks Across Multiple Cancers
- Study Identifies Hidden B-Cell Mutations in Autoimmune Disease
- Single-Cell Method Measures RNA and Proteins to Reveal Immune Responses
- Study Links Midlife Vitamin D to Lower Tau in Alzheimer's
- International Consensus Standardizes Tumor Microbiota Detection and Reporting
- Common Metablolic Enzyme Could Predict Response to Cancer Immunotherapy
- Newly Identfied Genetic Variants in MND Support Prognosis and Family Testing
- Innate Immunity Variants Associated With Earlier Breast Cancer in BRCA1 Carriers
- Genetic Cause Identified for Severe Infant Epilepsy
- Study Reveals Diagnostic and Therapeutic Target in Rare Pancreatic Tumors
- Researchers Identify Survival Pathway Undermining Targeted Cancer Drugs
- Large-Scale Study Maps DNA Damage Signatures Across Multiple Cancers
- Study Identifies Distinct Immune Signatures to Early Depression and Psychosis
- Genetic Mutation Behind Aggressive Adult Leukemia Offers Treatment Clues
- Disease Gene Discovery Advances Diagnosis of Rare Movement Disorders
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Blood Test Predicts Alzheimer Disease Risk Before Imaging Changes and Symptoms
Alzheimer's disease often advances silently for years, making timely risk stratification difficult in routine practice. Current approaches to detect pathology can involve lumbar puncture or positron emission... Read more
Study Finds ApoB Testing More Effective Than LDL for Guiding Lipid Therapy
Routine blood tests that measure low-density lipoprotein (LDL), commonly known as “bad” cholesterol, are widely used to guide lipid-lowering therapy, but they do not always provide a complete picture of... Read more
AI-Enabled POC Test Quantifies Multiple Cardiac Biomarkers
Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death, responsible for nearly 20 million deaths each year. Timely triage of myocardial infarction and heart failure hinges on rapid cardiac biomarker measurement,... Read more
Next Generation Automated Analyzers Increase Throughput for Clinical Chemistry and Electrolyte Testing
Clinical laboratories continue to face staffing shortages, limited space, and growing test volumes that pressure chemistry and electrolyte workflows. Maintaining rapid turnaround times increasingly depends... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Blood-Based Epigenetic Signals Enable Osteosarcoma Disease Monitoring
Osteosarcoma is a rare but aggressive pediatric bone cancer where recurrence and metastasis remain difficult to detect early. Imaging-based surveillance can miss small lesions and exposes children to repeated... Read more
Host–Virus Genetic Interactions Drive Nasopharyngeal Cancer Risk
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infects more than 95% of adults worldwide, yet only a small fraction develops EBV‑associated cancers such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Explaining this divergence requires understanding... Read more
Hematology
view channel
Routine Blood Test Parameters Link Anemia to Cancer Risk and Mortality
Anemia detected in routine care can signal underlying pathology and is frequently encountered in adults. Because it is defined by hemoglobin levels below the normal range, it is often evaluated with red... Read more
Prognostic Tool Guides Personalized Treatment in Rare Blood Cancer
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a rare blood cancer in which acquired genetic mutations in bone marrow stem cells drive disease. Stem cell transplantation is the only curative option but carries... Read more
Immunology
view channel
Study Finds Influenza Often Undiagnosed in Winter Deaths
Seasonal influenza drives substantial excess mortality, yet its contribution is often obscured when infections go undiagnosed near the time of death. Many deaths occur outside hospitals or in older adults... Read more
Combined Screening Approach Identifies Early Leprosy Cases
Leprosy remains a significant public health concern, with more than 200,000 new cases reported globally each year and early disease often escaping routine laboratory detection. In its initial phase, bacterial... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
Rapid Color Test Stratifies Virulent and Resistant Staph Strains
Staphylococcus aureus (golden staph) remains a leading cause of infection-related mortality worldwide, responsible for more than a million deaths each year. Rapidly distinguishing highly virulent or a... Read more
Syndromic Panel Enables Rapid Identification of Bloodstream Infections
Bloodstream infections require rapid identification of causative pathogens and resistance determinants to guide therapy, yet laboratories often face pressure to deliver clinically relevant results quickly... Read more
RNA-Based Workflow Identifies Active Skin Microbes for Dermatology Research
Human skin carries diverse microbial communities that influence barrier function and inflammation, yet identifying which organisms are metabolically active has been challenging. DNA-based surveys catalog... Read more
Cost-Effective Sampling and Sequencing Workflow Identifies ICU Infection Hotspots
Intensive care units face persistent threats from hospital-acquired infections, increasingly driven by drug-resistant bacteria. Rapidly pinpointing environmental reservoirs and transmission hotspots remains... Read morePathology
view channel
Biomarker Predicts Immunotherapy Response and Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is common and often lethal, and therapeutic decision-making is complicated by heterogeneous tumor microenvironments. Immunotherapy benefits only a small subset of patients, around 5%,... Read more
Collaboration Applies AI Pathology to Predict Response to Antibody-Drug Conjugates
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are reshaping oncology, yet scalable biomarkers that reliably predict which patients will benefit remain limited as treatment regimens and combinations grow more complex.... Read more
Technology
view channel
AI Tool Predicts Non-Response to Targeted Therapy in Colorectal Cancer
Advanced bowel cancer remains difficult to treat, and many patients receive targeted therapies that do not help them but still cause harm. Clinicians need reliable ways to identify likely responders before... Read more
Integrated System Streamlines Pre-Analytical Workflow for Molecular Testing
Pre-analytical variation remains a leading source of inconsistent molecular test results and added costs, particularly when laboratories rely on multiple instruments and protocols. Standardizing nucleic... Read more
Industry
view channel
Partnership Expands Ultrasensitive WGS Assay for for Hematologic Malignancies and MRD Monitoring
Tempus AI and Predicta Biosciences announced the commercial expansion of a co-branded whole‑genome sequencing assay GenoPredicta, which is intended for comprehensive genomic characterization of hematologic... Read more
