DNA wired

A research team led by Brown University engineers has harnessed the coding power of DNA to create zinc oxide nanowires on top of carbon nanotube tips.

The feat marks the first time that DNA has been used to direct the assembly and growth of complex nanowires.

The tiny new structures can create and detect light and, with mechanical pressure, generate electricity. The wires’ optical and electrical properties would allow for a range of applications, from medical diagnostics and security sensors to fibre optical networks and computer circuits.

‘The use of DNA to assemble nanomaterials is one of the first steps toward using biological molecules as a manufacturing tool,’ said Adam Lazareck, a graduate student in Brown’s Division of Engineering. ‘If you want to make something, turn to Mother Nature. From skin to sea shells, remarkable structures are engineered using DNA.’

Lazareck, who works in the laboratory Jimmy Xu, professor of engineering and physics, led the research. The work is an example of “bottom up” nanoengineering. Instead of moulding or etching materials into smaller components, such as computer circuits, engineers are experimenting with ways to get biological molecules to do their own assembly work. Under the right chemical conditions, molecular design and machinery – such as light-sensing proteins or viral motors – can be used to create miniscule devices and materials.