New publications
An artificial structure capable of self-replicating like a DNA molecule has been created
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Chemists have created an artificial structure that can self-replicate like a DNA molecule. The time is not far off when materials will self-replicate, scientists believe. DNA idea
The components, based on nucleotides – the “building blocks” of DNA, act as letters that combine to form a word. But unlike the double helix of DNA, a single element of the artificial material consists of three parallel chains of nucleotides seven bases long. They (the bases) are connected by one perpendicular fragment of the helix, on the outer surface of which are chemical “keys”. They control which molecules can attach to a given section of the chain.
This system - a bundle of three single helices connected by three double helices of DNA - was called BTX (bent triple helix molecules containing three DNA double helices) by chemists. Scientists write that such fragments are capable of combining into extended chains. And, theoretically, the number of unique components of the synthetic material is not limited.
A group of scientists led by Paul Chaikin from New York University (USA) used their invention to create a “puzzle” from two pieces and their complementary twins.
In a test tube with a set of BTX chains, chemists added a substance that initiated the assembly process. As a result, individual parts of the "puzzle" complementarily connected to each other - found each other in accordance with the type of "keyholes" and "keys".
Chemists write that in the first stage, a component of the "puzzle" attached itself to the free end of the initiator substance. Then a chain reaction began, and other components were drawn to the molecular "puzzle". Up to the third generation
The chemists used the resulting chains to obtain similar daughter molecules. By heating the mixture of parent and daughter chains to the temperature of hydrogen bond rupture (approximately 40°C), the chemists separated the mixture into molecules of two generations. Further analysis showed that about 70% of the daughter chains perfectly repeated the structure of the parent molecule.
Chaikin's team obtained the next generation of the parent molecule. However, in the third generation, the copying accuracy significantly worsened: only 31% of the "descendants" - the grandchildren of the first molecule - completely repeated the structure of the original molecule.
The authors of the article published in Nature believe that by changing the chemical properties of the "puzzle" components, they will be able to eliminate the need to heat the mixture after each copying procedure. If the chemists implement their idea, then synthetic systems that reproduce without human intervention will probably appear.
"We have shown that not only DNA and RNA molecules can self-replicate. Our development is the first step towards creating artificial self-replicating materials," the authors of the invention conclude.
[