Abstract
STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF biological molecules can be imprinted on inorganic crystals using a biomineralization procedure based on synthetic biomolecular templates [ J.Am. Chem. Soc, 125, 11786 (2003)].The technique, which was developed at the University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign (UIUC), may lead to custom-designed crystals with useful electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. At the heart of the new crystalgrowth method are electrostatic forces that drive the material's synthesis steps. To prepare the templates, the UIUC researchers combine anionic DNA and cationic membranes that are composed of a mixture of lipids. The components self-assemble in solution, forming lamellar structures (stacks of sheets) in which DNA strands are confined between the lipid layers. The team, which includes assistant professor of materials science and physics Gerard C. L. Wong, Hongjun Liang, Paul V. Braun, and coworkers, notes that adding Cd 2+ ions to the solution causes the cations to assemble in the interhelical po...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
