knitting with DNA

By grabbing the ends of DNA with laser beams, one can make DNA do very unusual things. It is even possible to put a loop in a DNA molecule and slide it along a second DNA molecule, even though DNA and proteins are much too small to see with a microscope!

At VU University, Amsterdam, we use so-called "optical tweezers" to grab plastic beads with a
diameter of only a thousandth of a millimeter, that are visible under a microscope. The beads are caught in the
focal point of a focused laser-beam. By sticking the ends of two DNA molecule to such beads, they can bend,
twist and stretch the DNA anyway they like. This video demonstrates our DNA
gymnastics trick.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• dna
• molecule
• knit
• braid
• optical
• tweezers
• trap
• trapping
• single-molecule
• microscope
• science

[RobotBadger]

This lacks any true proof at all. I see no phenotypic expressions, no tagging, no proteins... nothing is glowing...... This is silly.

[jmameren]

@RobotBadger: If you can, please take a look at the December 2007 issue of the scientific journal Nature Methods, which contains the scientific publication behind this video -- google for doi:10.1038/nmeth1126. That should clarify things. :-)

[mphello]

COOOOOOOOL!!

Now: PLEASE HIRE ME! I've wanted a job in a lab doing nanotech work like this for my entire life!

[happyking9]

Advancement of the human race?

The world's smallest sweater!

[boobunny100]

@RobotBadger um you aren't going to see any phenotypic expressions because it is only glass beads and DNA - nothing to transcribe or translate the DNA...... and the DNA has probably been purified, so there aren't any proteins..... and the DNA is still to small to see.... they used lasers on each glass bead, attached the DNA to the glass bead probably by using antibodies or something.... and the reason nothing is glowing is because they used a filter to take the light from the laser out...

[DarkTemp0]

they're called optical tweezers :) just google them :D

[benjorino]

I think they use a laser beam, and it's the momentum transfer from the photons as they enter the higher refractive index bead that allows a force to be applied to it

[musicianhayd]

i'm a little confused as to how light can grab something, but cool!

[marnixblomberg]

Lol

Pretty CoOl