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1.1 Introduction
ОглавлениеDNA nanotechnology has grown as a field of research in the past three decades. The technology uses the self‐assembly of DNA molecules that have sequence selectivity, programmability, and periodical double‐helical structure. Self‐assembly is commonly seen in living systems and plays a central role in the formation of cellular structures and thus influences the functions of organized biological systems in the cell. From the viewpoint of molecular science, the precise formation of structures via self‐assembly attracts attention because specific functions can stem from the precise arrangement of the molecules. DNA nanotechnology allows the construction of various self‐assembled scaffolds that are versatile for the placement and arrangement of functional molecules and nanomaterials and for the production of complex molecular devices.
The field of DNA nanotechnology was pioneered by Ned Seeman, who first proposed the concept of DNA nanotechnology in 1982, and then created various DNA motifs and strategies for self‐assembly that constitute the basic concept of structural DNA nanotechnology (Figure 1.1) [1, 2]. DNA nanotechnology now is now applied in the construction of nanoscale structures and functionalized materials and is further used in molecular computation and mechanics and in the fields of chemistry and synthetic biology, and continues to progress in response to technology demands [3–5]. DNA origami, a new form of programmed DNA assembly based on well‐established DNA nanotechnology, enables the design of two‐dimensional (2D) nanostructures with a wide variety of shapes in a defined size [6]. Moreover, functional molecules, enzymes, and nanomaterials have been precisely placed on DNA origami structures, which enables the creation of novel molecular systems, nanoscale devices, and advanced materials [3–5].
This chapter describes the general introduction of DNA origami and highlights the basics of DNA origami technology, including the design and construction of 2D and three‐dimensional (3D) structures and selective functionalization. In addition, this chapter focuses on its applications in various research fields, including single‐molecule detection and sensing, single‐molecule imaging of biomolecules, molecular machines, plasmonics, dynamic devices, and molecular delivery systems.
Figure 1.1 History of DNA nanotechnology and DNA origami technology. Progress of DNA nanotechnology and DNA origami technology and major findings and inventions in this field.