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Caltech Scientists Use DNA Tiles To Play Tic-Tac-Toe at the Nanoscale

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: An innovation at Caltech allows scientists to play a virtual "tic-tac-toe" game with individual strands of DNA, providing a new way to experiment with DNA sequencing and create custom patterns. According to ArsTechnica, the technique was dubbed "DNA Origami [paper; PDF]" by its creator Lulu Qian and is considered by Caltech fellows to be a "huge advancement" in the field of nanotechnology (manipulation of particles on a minute, atomic scale).

8 of 23 comments (clear)

  1. Got caught goofing off by drainbramage · · Score: 2

    Boss walks in to the lab "Hey, are you playing tic-tac-toe"?
    Intern "Uh, well, uh, no! I''m gene splicing. Yeah, that's the ticket!"

    --
    No brain, no pain.
    1. Re:Got caught goofing off by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

      BOSS Now work on:
      Fighter Combat
      Guerrilla Engagement
      Desert Warfare
      Air-To-Ground Actions
      Theaterwide Tactical Warfare
      Theaterwide Biotoxic And Chemical Warfare
      Global Thermonuclear War

  2. Solitaire by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    Next is to get it to play Solitaire so they can really goof off at work.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Solitaire by olsmeister · · Score: 1

      Minesweeper never got any love....

    2. Re:Solitaire by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      This is still Slashdot.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  3. Hello by Frank+Burly · · Score: 2

    Would you like to play a game of Global Pandemic?

    1. Re:Hello by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      I don't care, for me my algae strawberry steak, I grow in my own kitchen aquarium is getting closer day by day. Genetically engineering old world crops is just plain stupid and a waste of time. GMO algae, any food imaginable food product created and grown really fast (just designed texture, consistency, nutrients, flavours and trace element profile), is the only way to go.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  4. Lulu Qian didn't invent this by ledgearooni · · Score: 1

    Paul Rothemund gave the technique its name back in 2006! Not Lulu Qian From Ars Back in 2006, Caltech bioengineer Paul Rothemund figured out how to fold a long strand of DNA into simple shapes, demonstrating this "DNA origami" technique by producing a smiley face.