Smart materials for DNA-based nanoconstructions

Since its introduction by Nedrian Seeman 30 years ago, DNA has now been proved as a smart material for nanofabrication and nanoengineering. Based on the programmable, nano-addressable self-assembly ability and the nanosize of DNA molecules, they are of high utility in constructing elaborate information-encoded static nanostructures and dynamic nanomachines with designed size and geometry. Especially, after the invention of DNA origami by Rothemund in 2006, this field has witnessed an explosion of interest in the construction of functional DNA nanodevices. With DNA nanostructures as templates, plasmonic nanoclusters, metallic nanocircuits, as well as in vitro enzymatic cascades could be built with nano-addressability. Dynamic DNA nanomachines, on the other hand, could be regulated with external stimuli, leading to various applications in biosensor and logic operations. In this chapter, we will illustrate some smart DNA materials and focus on recent advances in DNA-based nanoconstructions. The design and fabrication of these smart materials will be summarized from a structural point of view, while their important applications with great potentials will be highlighted. Finally, the future perspectives will be discussed.