Researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have discovered that DNA can mimic protein functions by adopting complex, three-dimensional structures. The team created a DNA molecule that replicates the activity of green fluorescent protein (GFP), commonly used in laboratories as a fluorescent tag. By using high-resolution imaging techniques, they revealed the intricate structure of the DNA molecule, named “lettuce,” which binds to a fluorescent molecule and activates its fluorescence. The findings open new possibilities for designing DNA molecules with desired functions, such as fluorescent tags for diagnostics and biological studies.
Source: 10.1038/s41586-023-06229-8