Integrating DNA with Functional Nanomaterials

DNA may be the most versatile molecule discovered to date. Beyond its well-known central role in genetics, DNA has the potential to be a remarkably useful technological material. It has been demonstrated as a scaffold for the assembly of organic and inorganic nanomaterials [1]; a vehicle for drug delivery [2]; a medium for computation [3]; and a possible wire for transporting electrical signals [4]. A key factor in exploiting DNA in these ways is the ability to integrate DNA with other materials. In this paper, we review two approaches to forming DNA complexes with functional nanomaterials: (1) linking DNA with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which can then be used as nanoscale electrical contacts for probing electron transport in DNA; and (2) directed nanoassembly of Au nanoparticles using DNA/PNA (peptide nucleic acid) hybrid scaffolds