A molecular origami method uses double-stranded DNA scaffolds and protein staples to create hybrid nanostructures Molecular engineers have become increasingly adept at repurposing life's building blocks to make custom self-assembled shapes. Because a single drop of solution contains billions of such shapes, DNA origami smiley faces (1), RNA stars (2), and designer protein polyhedra (3) may vastly outnumber most other human-made objects on Earth. These shapes lack immediate practical utility, but they transmit a powerful message: Researchers are beginning to understand how molecules self-assemble. On page 1283 of this issue, Praetorius and Dietz make another leap forward by demonstrating a novel class of nanostructures, namely DNA-protein hybrid shapes (4). This is an important advance because it provides a method to create human-designed shapes out of ingredients that are generally compatible with living systems.

中文翻译：

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将蛋白质带入折叠

分子折纸方法使用双链 DNA 支架和蛋白质主食来创建混合纳米结构分子工程师越来越擅长重新利用生命的构建块来制作定制的自组装形状。因为一滴溶液包含数十亿个这样的形状，DNA 折纸笑脸 (1)、RNA 星 (2) 和设计蛋白多面体 (3) 的数量可能远远超过地球上大多数其他人造物体。这些形状缺乏直接的实用性，但它们传递了一个强有力的信息：研究人员开始了解分子如何自组装。在本期第 1283 页，Praetorius 和 Dietz 通过展示一类新型纳米结构，即 DNA-蛋白质混合形状 (4)，实现了又一次飞跃。