Smart DNA

UC Santa Barbara scientists Omar Saleh and Deborah Fygenson, are developing a form of responsive DNA that can travel through the use of ATP. The gel actually uses a bacterial motor protein called FtsK50C, and reacts like cytoskeletons react to the motor protein myosin, by contracting and stiffening. "The gel has active mechanical capabilities in that it generates forces independently, leading to changes in elasticity or shape, when fed ATP molecules for energy - much like a living cell."

This gel has a broad scope of fields that it can be instrumental in. It can be used in everything from artificial muscles, smart materials, understanding cytoskeletal mechanics and non-equilibrium physics. This has been noted as a huge breakthrough in soft-material science and engineering by Craig Hawker, director of the Materials Research Laboratory at UCSB.



This is another application future science in its early stages. The fact that a DNA sequence call be controlled has enormous value in medicine. In the future, diseases may be able to be treated directly on site. Smart DNA will be able to create and repair proteins as directed by future doctors. Perhaps cancers will be treated without surgery  and surgeries overall will be greatly reduced.