Self-assembling Biological Nanodevices Based Upon Tensegrity

Researchers create self-assembling nanodevices that move and change shape on demand

BOSTON, Mass. (June 21, 2010) —By emulating nature’s design principles, a team at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has created nanodevices made of DNA that self-assemble and can be programmed to move and change shape on demand. In contrast to existing nanotechnologies, these programmable nanodevices are highly suitable for medical applications because DNA is both biocompatible and biodegradable.

Built at the scale of one billionth of a meter, each device is made of a circular, single-stranded DNA molecule that, once it has been mixed together with many short pieces of complementary DNA, self-assembles into a predetermined 3D structure. Double helices fold up into larger, rigid linear struts that connect by intervening single-stranded DNA. These single strands of DNA pull the struts up into a 3D form—much like tethers pull tent poles up to form a tent. The structure’s strength and stability result from the way it distributes and balances the counteracting forces of tension and compression.

This architectural principle—known as tensegrity—has been the focus of artists and architects for many years, but it also exists throughout nature. In the human body, for example, bones serve as compression struts, with muscles, tendons and ligaments acting as tension bearers that enable us to stand up against gravity. The same principle governs how cells control their shape at the microscale.

An electron micrograph of an actual nanoscale tensegrity built using the new DNA-based, self-assembling nanofabrication capabilities. Scale bars equal 20 nanometers (billionths of a meter). Images by Tim Liedl

Collected from: HMS Press Release - Researchers create self-assembling nanodevices that move and change shape on demand

Nature Nanotechnology
Published online: 20 June 2010 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2010.107

Self-assembly of three-dimensional prestressed tensegrity structures from DNA

Tim Liedl Björn, Högberg, Jessica Tytell, Donald E. Ingber & William M. Shih

Collected from: Self-assembly of three-dimensional prestressed tensegrity structures from DNA : Abstract : Nature Nanotechnology

Tensegrity

Tensegrity structures are structures based on the combination of a few simple but subtle and deep design patterns:

• loading members only in pure compression or pure tension, meaning the structure will only fail if the cables yield or the rods buckle
• preload or tensional prestress, which allows cables to be rigid in tension
• mechanical stability, which allows the members to remain in tension/compression as stress on the structure increases

Because of these patterns, no structural member experiences a bending moment. This produces exceptionally rigid structures for their mass and for the cross section of the components.

Collected from: Tensegrity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Collected from: YouTube - Step by Step Tensegrities (the real thing)

Collected from: Home : Wyss Institute at Harvard

Welcome to the Shih Lab. We explore design principles for self-assembling molecular machines, primarily using structural DNA nanotechnology to build our model systems. We seek to apply our knowledge towards construction of artificial systems that help solve problems of biological and medical interest.
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Collected from: Home

William Shih

Shih is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School, and Department of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
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Collected from: William Shih : Wyss Institute at Harvard

Sources

HMS Press Release - Researchers create self-assembling nanodevices that move and change shape on demand
http://hms.harvard.edu/public/news/2010/062110_ingber.html
Self-assembly of three-dimensional prestressed tensegrity structures from DNA : Abstract : Nature Nanotechnology
http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nnano.2010.107.html
Tensegrity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensegrity
YouTube - Step by Step Tensegrities (the real thing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPLcci1uoEI
Home : Wyss Institute at Harvard
http://wyss.harvard.edu/
Home
http://research4.dfci.harvard.edu/shih/SHIH_LAB/Home.html
William Shih : Wyss Institute at Harvard
http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpage/127/william-shih

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