Introduction to emerging concepts in nucleic acids: structures, functions and applications

Abstract

An introduction to the Nanoscale, Nanoscale Advances and Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP) themed collection on DNA and RNA nanotechnology, featuring a selection of excellent articles that highlight the potential of nucleic acids for various applications. Nucleic acids are known to play a significant "traditional" role in biology and are also useful as materials for nanotechnology. Recent research across different disciplines has focused on the basic properties of nucleic acids, including DNA, RNA, and their variations, such as xeno nucleic acids, modified nucleic acids and peptide nucleic acids. These molecules also hold promise for several applications across disciplines from molecular biology and medicine to nanotechnology and materials science. With these ideas in focus, this combined themed collection from the journals Nanoscale, Nanoscale Advances, and Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP) aims to cover the most recent progress in the structure, function, and applications of DNA and DNA-based materials.