Structural DNA Nanotechnology: Engineering Biology and Engineering with Biology

DNA is a biocompatible scaffold that allows for the design of a variety of nanostructures, from double stranded DNA to more complex DNA origami and 3-D structures. These bottom-up structures achieve single digit-nm feature sizes with the overall assemblies in the 100 – 200 nm range, which can be further pushed to µm scale by combining individual structures. By modifying the structures, with dyes, nanoparticles, or enzymes, we create complex hierarchical structures with features controlled on the nm level. These hybrid systems have myriad applications in biology: as biosensors, cargo-delivery, vaccine development, enzyme catalysis, and adding functionality to peptide condensates. They are also an avenue for materials development using biotemplates: optoelectronics, nanoplasmonics/metamaterials, and CRISPR/Cas assay development.