WHY CHOOSE DNA?
"Since DNA forms base pairs in a predictable way, by cleverly designing the sequences of several strands of DNA you can coax them to self-assemble into a particular shape." -Eric Sawyer
Why did Nature select DNA as the code for life?
DNA stores genetic information that are made up of the sequences of 4 chemical bases to build and maintain an organism in a specific, unique way.
"As the accumulation of additional protein catalysts allowed more efficient and complex cells to evolve, the DNA double helix replaced RNA as a more stable molecule for storing the increased amounts of genetic information required by such cells."
DNA, which stands for deoxyribose nucleic acid, is a self-replicating material found in the nucleus of a cell that holds the genetic instructions that are necessary for a living organism to develop and grow. It is in a shape of a double helix and contains four complementary base pairs (A, T, C, & G). According to the base pairing rules, adenine (A) pairs with thymine (T), and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G), which are then held together with hydrogen bonds, as shown in Figure 1.
In addition to living organisms, DNA can also be used as the "genetic" material for building nanotechnology.
Figure 1: DNA Structure
In the shape of a double helix, A pairs with T and C pairs with G.
WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?
Figure 2: Nanometer in Perspective
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter, conducted at nanoscale (1-100 nanometers). A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Consider this; a single strand of hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide! Figure 2 shows more conversions of nanometers to give a better idea of the small size.
