DNA_NN1 In_II Another_DD1 Dimension_NN1 3-D_JJ construction_NN1 technique_NN1 creates_VVZ a_AT1 wealth_NN1 of_IO structures_NN2 USING_VVG DNA_NN1 as_II a_AT1 basic_JJ chemical_JJ building_NN1 block_NN1 rather_II21 than_II22 a_AT1 genetic_JJ molecule_NN1 ,_, scientists_NN2 have_VH0 devised_VVN a_AT1 method_NN1 for_IF creating_VVG complex_JJ three-dimensional_JJ nanostructures_NN2 with_IW precisely_RR controlled_VVN dimensions_NN2 that_CST range_NN1 from_II 10_MC to_II 100_MC nm_FU (_( Nature_NN1 2009_MC ,_, 459_MC ,_, 414_MC )_) ._. 
The_AT strategy_NN1 of_IO self-assembly_NN1 could_VM provide_VVI a_AT1 general_JJ route_NN1 for_IF manufacturing_VVG sophisticated_JJ devices_NN2 with_IW nanoscale_NN1 features_NN2 ,_, the_AT researchers_NN2 say_VV0 ._. 
The_AT technique_NN1 ,_, developed_VVN by_II William_NP1 M._NN1 Shih_NP1 of_IO Boston_NP1 's_GE Dana-Farber_NP1 Cancer_NN1 Institute_NN1 and_CC colleagues_NN2 ,_, is_VBZ an_AT1 extension_NN1 of_IO DNA_NN1 origami_NN2 ,_, in_II which_DDQ hundreds_NNO2 of_IO short_JJ oligonucleotides_NN2 fasten_VV0 to_II a_AT1 long_JJ single_JJ strand_NN1 of_IO DNA_NN1 in_II such_DA a_AT1 way_NN1 that_CST it_PPH1 folds_NN2 into_II a_AT1 predetermined_JJ shape_NN1 (_( C_MC &EN,;_NULL March_NPM1 20_MC ,_, 2006_MC ,_, page_NN1 10_MC )_) ._. 
Researchers_NN2 have_VH0 already_RR used_VVN the_AT technique_NN1 to_TO create_VVI 2-D_JJ snowflakes_NN2 and_CC smiley_NN1 faces_NN2 ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 a_AT1 3-D_JJ DNA_NN1 box_NN1 (_( C_MC &EN,;_NULL May_NPM1 11_MC ,_, page_NN1 30_MC )_) ._. 
Shih_NP1 's_GE strategy_NN1 allows_VVZ nanotechnologists_NN2 to_TO build_VVI a_AT1 vast_JJ diversity_NN1 of_IO 3-D_JJ DNA_NN1 structures_NN2 ,_, a_AT1 capability_NN1 his_APPGE group_NN1 demonstrated_VVN by_II constructing_VVG a_AT1 tiny_JJ railed_JJ bridge_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 genie_NN1 bottle_NN1 ,_, and_CC an_AT1 icosahedron_NN1 ._. 
Shih_NP1 's_GE team_NN1 designs_NN2 the_AT structures_NN2 by_II computationally_RR "_" carving_VVG "_" them_PPHO2 out_II21 of_II22 a_AT1 honeycomb_NN1 lattice_NN1 made_VVN of_IO a_AT1 DNA_NN1 double_JJ helix_NN1 ._. 
Using_VVG computer-aided_JJ design_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 arrange_VV0 a_AT1 single_JJ strand_NN1 of_IO DNA_NN1 so_CS21 that_CS22 it_PPH1 winds_VVZ around_II that_DD1 carved_JJ structure_NN1 and_CC then_RT determine_VV0 what_DDQ short_JJ oligonucleotides_NN2 are_VBR required_VVN to_TO hold_VVI it_PPH1 in_II place_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT challenge_NN1 was_VBDZ actually_RR getting_VVG it_PPH1 to_TO work_VVI ,_, "_" Shih_NP1 tells_VVZ C_NP1 &EN,;_NULL because_CS DNA_NN1 is_VBZ negatively_RR charged_VVN ,_, and_CC repulsive_JJ forces_NN2 tend_VV0 to_TO keep_VVI it_PPH1 from_II packing_VVG into_II the_AT compact_JJ sculptures_NN2 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 did_VDD n't_XX know_VVI what_DDQ kind_NN1 of_IO tricks_NN2 we_PPIS2 would_VM need_VVI to_TO get_VVI it_PPH1 to_TO fold_VVI correctly_RR ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 says_VVZ ._. 
Ultimately_RR ,_, patience_NN1 proved_VVD to_TO be_VBI one_MC1 of_IO the_AT tricks_NN2 ._. 
Although_CS most_DAT 2-D_JJ DNA_NN1 origami_NN2 structures_NN2 fold_VV0 within_II an_AT1 hour_NNT1 ,_, Shih_NP1 's_GE 3-D_JJ sculptures_NN2 take_VV0 about_RG a_AT1 week_NNT1 to_TO fold_VVI ._. 
"_" This_DD1 successful_JJ move_NN1 into_II three_MC dimensions_NN2 heralds_NN2 a_AT1 new_JJ era_NN1 for_IF the_AT field_NN1 of_IO structural_JJ DNA_NN1 technology_NN1 ,_, "_" writes_VVZ Duke_NN1 University_NN1 chemistry_NN1 professor_NN1 Thomas_NP1 H._NP1 LaBean_NP1 in_II a_AT1 commentary_NN1 that_CST accompanies_VVZ the_AT paper_NN1 ._. 
"_" Through_II the_AT ages_NN2 ,_, some_DD of_IO the_AT most_RGT iconic_JJ and_CC lasting_JJ artifacts_NN2 of_IO human_JJ ingenuity_NN1 have_VH0 been_VBN sculptures_NN2 and_CC carvings_NN2 ,_, created_VVN from_II a_AT1 wide_JJ variety_NN1 of_IO materials_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB until_II now_RT ,_, a_AT1 general_JJ purpose_NN1 material_NN1 from_II which_DDQ nanometer-scale_JJ ,_, three-dimensional_JJ shapes_NN2 could_VM be_VBI made_VVN has_VHZ been_VBN lacking_VVG ._. "_" 
