Researchers
at UCSB have designed a “smart” material made of DNA that responds with
movement when stimulated
Artificial
muscles and self-propelled goo may be the stuff of Hollywood fiction, but for
UC Santa Barbara scientists Omar Saleh and Deborah Fygenson, the reality of it
is not that far away. By blending their areas of expertise, the pair have
created a dynamic gel made of DNA that mechanically responds to stimuli in much
the same way that cells do. The results of their research were published online
in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“This is a
whole new kind of responsive gel, or what some might call a ‘smart’ material,”
said Saleh, associate professor of materials, affiliated with UCSB’s
Biomolecular Science and Engineering program. “The gel has active mechanical
capabilities in that it generates forces independently, leading to changes in
elasticity or shape, when fed ATP molecules for energy—much like a living
cell.”
journal
reference (abstract free): pnas >>