ABSTRACT
We are all familiar with DNA as the genetic material of living organisms.1 Its double helical structure held together by base pairing2 has been well characterized by biological and structural experiments since the middle of the twentieth century. Indeed, the double helix is one of the icons symbolizing our civilization, in much the way that the pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, and the Coliseum of Rome symbolized theirs. Beyond its genetic role, DNA is arguably the most versatile component for nanoscale construction available. ¡e same recognition properties that enable it to function so successfully as the information repository of the cell also enable it to act in nanoscale construction to direct both the formation of structure and the behavior of nanomechanical devices. In this contribution, we will touch on a few examples of this use of DNA, emphasizing recent results that we believe are of particular signi¢cance.
