Towards XNA nanotechnology: new materials from synthetic genetic polymers

Highlights

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  We review recent advances in nucleic acid chemistry and polymerase engineering that have enabled the synthesis, replication, and evolution of a wide range of nucleic acid-like synthetic genetic polymers (XNAs) with improved chemical and biological stability.

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  We discuss the likely biotechnological impact of the further development of XNA technology for the generation of novel ligands, enzymes, and nanostructures with tailor-made chemistry.

Abstract

Nucleic acids display remarkable properties beyond information storage and propagation. The well-understood base pairing rules have enabled nucleic acids to be assembled into nanostructures of ever increasing complexity. Although nanostructures can be constructed using other building blocks, including peptides and lipids, it is the capacity to evolve that sets nucleic acids apart from all other nanoscale building materials. Nonetheless, the poor chemical and biological stability of DNA and RNA constrain their applications. Recent advances in nucleic acid chemistry and polymerase engineering enable the synthesis, replication, and evolution of a range of synthetic genetic polymers (XNAs) with improved chemical and biological stability. We discuss the impact of this technology on the generation of XNA ligands, enzymes, and nanostructures with tailor-made chemistry.