Progress: DNA makes lifeless materials shapeshift

Gold nanoparticles arranged into crystal lattices by DNA

Researchers coated gold nanoparticles with DNA and found that adding particular DNA strands to the surrounding solution makes the particles rearrange into different crystal structures. Reprogrammable particles like these could lead to materials that change shape in response to light, or catalysts that reshape themselves as a reaction proceeds.

via DNA makes lifeless materials shapeshift | Science

Monday February 8th 2016