TU Dortmund — For millions of years nature has been optimizing DNA – in all living creatures this biomolecule is responsible for storing genetic information. Now a research project supervised by Dr. Jens Müller from the Chair of Bioinorganic Chemistry at TU Dortmund, puts the long chain molecule into a new context. Detached from its biological origin, artificial DNA double helices were modified in such a way that the evolutionarily optimized biomolecule can also be used as a key structural element for the arrangement of metal ions. There are numerous potential applications of this basic research. With this method, for example, molecular wires or the smallest magnets could be developed to be used in nanotechnology. Moreover, the scientists think about using it as catalysts, in medicine or as sensors.
