Micro-DNA Tweezers Developed to Grab and Release Objects

Researchers in China are reporting on the development of new DNA "tweezers” that are the first of their kind capable of grabbing and releasing objects on-demand. The microscopic tweezers could have several potential uses, including microsurgery, drug and gene delivery for gene therapy, and in the manufacturing of nanosized circuits for electronics.

Zhaoxiang Deng, Ph.D., and colleagues, from the University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui, China), observed that other scientists have developed tweezers made of DNA, the double helix molecule and chemical blueprint of life. Those tweezers can open and close by responding to complementary chemical components found in DNA's composition. However, getting the tweezers to grasp and release objects similar to actual tweezers has remained a bioengineering challenge until now.

The scientists developed a pair of DNA tweezers comprised of four DNA strands--three of which act as the "arms.” In laboratory studies, the scientists demonstrated that they could grab a bit of target DNA in the arms of the tweezers and release it on-demand using a controlled series of hydrogen bonding and pH changes. The investigators used fluorescent gel imaging to validate the effectiveness of the tweezers' operation.

The study was published online on the October 14, 2008, issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).

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